Hunter
by Ava Ross
Summary: CCG Special Class Investigator Levi Ackerman has one mission: to kill ghouls. When he encounters a part human, part ghoul, it's just too bad for the human part. Just too bad for Levi that Hange and Erwin don't want him to kill that ghoul and too bad for him that he was placed as that ghoul's warden.
1. Hunted

**I**

 _ **Levi stared in the distance, hands tucked in his pockets.**_ Beside him, his partner, First Class investigator Petra Ral, tightened her grip on her suitcase. The wind blew, her locks of hair sweeping and hiding her hazel eyes. Levi was staring ahead, as if he could see everything happening in the Wards below him. The rain was obscuring the view, and all they could see were glimmering dots in the darkness. Well, she assumed he was seeing the same thing.

"Sir, maybe we should–"

He held one finger in her direction to silence her. His eyes narrowed and he titled his chin higher. Thunder ripped apart the sky, and the lighting made him like an avenging god. He was the only investigator in CCG to wear a black coat instead of their traditional white. It made his skin ever paler and his steely eyes glint like a hawk looking down on his prey. He then glanced at her, his gaze so intense that she almost flinched.

"Let's do this."

He picked his suitcase and leaped from the building. Petra gasped in horror and rushed to the edge, careful not to slip on the wet metal. She saw nothing but something shifting in the shadows. Her heart clenched as she imagined the man plummeting to the ground, but then again she knew better than to underestimate her superior. Still, he should've considered warning her! A burst of light forced her to blink away, her retinas burning. Then, her ears perked up as she heard a familiar whooshing sound. Levi was standing in nothingness in front of her, wings sprouting from his shoulder blades. They were crackling, sheer energy emanating for them. The rain sizzled as it touched the _ukaku kagune_. He was known for his Quinque, a strong and deadly pair of wings, one coloured white and the other navy blue – _Flügel di Freiheit_ , it was named.

"We're moving to the 11th Ward." She nodded nervously, wondering how she would manage to reach him in time. Her eyes surely reflected her questioning because he added, "I'll wait for you."

Of course you won't, she sighed inwardly. "Alright," was her voiced response. "I'll hurry, sir."

Wordlessly, he swivelled and soared in the sky. She watched him until he vanished in the grey clouds, hoping he wouldn't get too wet and catch a cold. Then she spun on her heels and climbed down stairs four at a time, almost breaking her neck as she nearly missed her footing. She had worked for a while with CCG's youngest senior investigator to know he never waited for others. She had never dared asking why, but using what little knowledge she had of him and her feminine intuition, she went as far as to explain it with the need for protection. Levi knew he was good – hell, he was outstanding – but he knew his limits. He preferred pushing himself first and then let others on the scene if he had been drained. So it was the way he worked. Still, Petra found it difficult as his subordinate to be forced to fall back when she knew she could help. She had been trained to slay ghouls at the Academy and had sworn to perform her duty; why wouldn't he let her do her damn job?

Fortunately, they had been standing on the borders of the 10th Ward, so she didn't have to run through an entire district. She had done it once, and when she'd reached him he was sitting with six dead Ghouls around him. Not this time. She dashed in the empty streets, rain hitting her coat and boots splashing in puddles. The 11th Ward was still evacuated, so she didn't have to dodge people in her race. It made it far easier but the atmosphere seemed heavier, gloomier, and the shadows seemed to close on her. Was a ghoul lurking around and considering her as his next meal? She ground her teeth together, refusing to let this vicious poison called fear creep in her veins and focused on the goal instead. If Levi had thrown himself headfirst in these shadows, then it was her duty to bring him back from them unharmed. Even if it cost her a limb or her life.

A bloodcurdling sound broke the thundering of the rain. Its source was near. If the source was near, so was the executioner. With renewed energy, she sprinted on the left, her breath coming in short pants. She was ready. She was ready since her assignment with Levi, since her graduation, since the beginning of her training. When she rounded a corner, she found her superior standing atop a building, his face as stoical as ever. He was gazing down on a gigantic, twitching form in the darkness of the alley. She had never seen a ghoul this huge before, or perhaps it was only its _kagune_ which made him look even more colossal. The ghoul turned to stare at her; Petra froze. One red eye was glowing in the darkness. Only one.

"What the–?"

Before she could finish, a red tentacle shot from the darkness but she had anticipated the move. She activated her Quinque, which materialised just in time to ward off the attack. Still, the impact pushed her back of a few meters. She whirled her Quinque away and the tentacle drew back, curling upward as it aimed for Levi's position. It lunged at the building with so much speed she saw nothing but a blur, yet the ghoul's target had disappeared. Levi was standing beside her. She didn't have to turn around to know; she could sense his imposing presence.

"One-eyed ghouls are very rare," he informed her calmly, as if talking over a cup of coffee. "I've never seen one before."

"Hange would be ecstatic," Petra whispered, easily picturing the scientist bouncing around.

Levi huffed, "I don't care about shitty four-eyes. Our job's to eliminate it, period."

The ghoul had emerged from its hiding spot as they talked, staggering as if exhausted. Petra took a fighting stance; it was, indeed, a one-eyed ghoul. Its left eye was shining madly with this trademark all ghouls have, but the other was coloured of a peculiar combination of blue and green. Its _kagune_ was jerking in its back, four tentacles with a diameter of a little less than a meter swinging wildly in the air. It was clear from the saliva dripping down its mouth that it was starving. She had fought hungry ghouls before and she knew how dangerous and unpredictable they were. However, luckily for her, her superior was an expert with this type. The one standing ahead was looking at them almost lustfully, tongue rolling over its lips as it surely dreamed of sinking its teeth in their flesh.

It straightened and its _kagune_ hurtled toward them. Petra avoided the tentacle, sending her Quinque down on it as it was trying to curl around his legs. Levi used his wings to propel himself off ground and whacked a tentacle. His Quinque sparkled and then feathers were launched from it toward the ghoul like arrows. Its _kagune_ retracted instinctively and the damage was nil. But little did it know it was the position Levi had expected. As Petra made sure to attack on the front to keep the ghoul busy, he had slipped behind the ghoul and withdrew another Quinque as a sword. With a graceful arc, he neatly cut the base of the ghoul's _kagune_.

The creature screeched, its back arching as the wound fought to regenerate. Yet Levi wasn't done. He slashed it until the tentacles crumbled to ashes, and then he plunged his sword in its abdomen. The ghoul's scream stayed in its throat, coming out as an agonising wheeze. Its fingers were riddled with spasms and its eyes were wide open. Levi thrust his sword again with the same fierceness and surgical precision. Twice. Thrice. When the Quinque was finally withdrawn from its body, it collapsed on its knees like a puppet caught from its strings. The investigator delivered a swift kick in its head which sent him careening down at Petra's feet.

The body seemed squashy as it fell in the mud. Its mouth was parted, chapped lips with no blood caking them. It was completely immobile, save for the heaving of its chest as it fought desperately for breath. Petra didn't put her Quinque away, knowing the ghoul could be faking weakness to make their guard drop. She observed the thin streams of blood leaving its body to pool around it. The rain made the crimson take a coral tint, but the mud made it almost indiscernible. In a macabre manner, the blood reached her shoes already stained with soil. The ghoul's body jolted and alarms went off in her head. She took a step back and then noticed its lips moving. The rain made it impossible for her to hear from this distance.

"My sword's covered in blood," Levi cringed as he wiped it with a scrunched nose.

"Sir, I think it's trying to say something."

His scowl deepened as his sword switched back to a seemingly inoffensive pen. He approached the creature, crouching down. The ghoul's eyes opened slowly, revealing two viridian orbs showing with an emotion she couldn't quite pinpoint. It didn't seem like hunger, or rage, or even mortification. Mirroring her superior, Petra crouched. She felt like she wasn't looking at a ghoul driven mad by hunger but a teenager beaten up by bullies. Its brown hair had lost its sheen, its body was emaciated and its features looked gaunt. Its lips were slack like they had given up. Levi, however, shook him roughly by the shoulders. A twinge of anger shot within her, but it wasn't aimed at the ghoul but at the investigator. Since when she had become defensive of ghouls? They devoured humans, for God's sake, wasn't that enough of a good reason?

"I don't have all day. Either you spit it out or you don't."

The ghoul blinked; the investigators didn't. Then it took a painful intake of breath as its eyes bore through them. It was almost inaudible, but its voice was like crystal slicing the air.

" _Arigatō_..."

Petra's heart skipped a beat. _Did it really...?_ Levi didn't seem to believe it either. His usual emotionless mask had, even if for a second, cracked. The ghoul was still staring at them, and now Petra could identify the emotion. It was relief. It was gratefulness. Was this one suicidal? She had never heard of a case like this and despite Hange's advancements, she had never evoked this possibility in one of her many ramblings. Her eyes roamed again on its body and the thought occurred to her: Is it even a ghoul? It looked positively human – a bruised, battered and bloodied human but still a human.

Tentatively, she raised her hand. Levi's charcoal eyes immediately darted on her but she paid it no heed. Instead, she slowly brought it down on the ghoul's forehead and brushed the wisps of hair covering it. When she looked at the ghoul to see its expression, she noted it had closed its eyes. Levi stood up quietly and walked away.

"Sir, what are you–?"

"It'll die in a minute or so. Our job here is done."

This same foreign indignation pushed her to protest. "But sir, it just thanked us."

"One more reason to why our job is done."

"Sir, with all due respect, I think–"

Levi whirled around, growling, " _You_ think? I'm your superior, Ral. Know your place."

Petra gulped and bowed her head. "I apologise, sir... but I still think we should do something."

"And what do you suggest? Let me guess, you want to drop it as a guest for Hange."

"You said so yourself that one-eyed ghouls are rare. I'm sure it can be useful."

She watched apprehensively the investigator weigh the two options carefully. Then he muttered something she couldn't catch before grimacing, "Fine. You carry it."

Petra nodded eagerly as she turned towards the still creature behind her. She removed her coat and tightened it around the ghoul's abdomen as a makeshift bandage. Then, she slung it on her shoulder as cautiously as she could so not to worsen its conditions and followed Levi who was already fading in the darkness with his wings shining like a beacon of light.


	2. Muzzled

**II**

 _ **Where... am I?**_

He felt like floating. He knew better than that; even with his _kagune_ , he couldn't really float. His _kagune_. He cringed in revolt, the word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

 _Right. So it hadn't been a dream after all._

He should've known after all this time spent at that stupid coffee shop. They all were like him – no, they weren't. They were ghouls. He was... different. Half-ghoul, half-human. They had accepted him like their own for the sole reason that he needed flesh to survive. Without human flesh, he would've been a starving mess. Just like he had been back then.

 _What really happened?_

He remembered mismatched pieces and blurry memories. Practising to make some decent coffee with Pixis. Finishing his shift alongside Connie and Sasha who had thrown food at each other's head. Leaving the 104th Squad after he'd almost wrung out Jean's neck. Walking to go home where Armin and Mikasa waited for him.

 _Oh shit. They must be so worried..._

Yet he never made it back home, did he? The proof he needed would be in front of him if he opened his eyes. So he opened his eyes. On darkness. He raised an arm, fingers curling and groping ahead of him. They met nothing but air. He considered the odds and propped himself up, still waving his hand. He didn't seem to be in a cage, which was quite a good thing. He pushed himself to sit up but a pang paralysed him. He groaned as it seemed like his skin was being slashed and then pressed against a hot poker. He fell back on what he assumed was a bed, resigning himself to wait for, at least until his vision was accustomed at the darkness. Assessing his situation, he found it quite grim.

 _So I'm stuck somewhere unknown, alone and wounded..._

What had happened afterward? He remembered being hungry. So hungry it seemed like his insides were coiling on themselves. So hungry it seemed like his throat was as hot as coal. So hungry it seemed like his head was going to explode. He connected the dots; he must've turned away from home to make sure he wouldn't turn on his friends and only family. Why hadn't he gone to the 104th Squad? That was much obvious because the other ghouls would've never locked him in some kind of jail. So he had been caught by Doves in the middle of a rampage.

 _Did I eat someone? No, I would never– But I was so hungry..._

Then again he wasn't so sure. As human with a conscience, it was definite he would never prey on innocents. However, there was no knowing what he would do as a starving ghoul. What had he done? Had he attacked a bunch of civilians? Had he killed investigators without knowing it? This ignorance drove him crazy. What if he had... killed Armin and Mikasa? He covered his hand with his mouth, fighting against the urge to retch.

Then lights flickered, illuminating the entire room. He shut his eyes, harassed by the harsh luminosity. He squinted, his hand trying to shield him from the brightness. He could make out three silhouettes looking at him. One was sitting, his hands in his lap, his cold cobalt eyes riveted on his figure. Another was leaning nonchalantly against the wall, arms folded over his chest. The third one wore a manic grin, her eyes bulging behind rectangle glasses, and her hands were flat against the glass separating them.

 _Wait... glass?_

He realised he was standing on the other side. It reassured him a little. That meant the crazy woman wouldn't be able to grab him and bring him in a creepy lab to dissect him. The mere thought made him shudder.

"Oh, Levi, he's magnificent! I could kiss you right now!"

The man against the wall was deadpan. "If you ever try, I swear I will kill you."

The sitting man ignored the two and offered him a cold smile. "You are a one-eyed ghoul."

It wasn't even a question; it was a statement. Still, he confirmed it, "Yes."

"Show us!" The woman squealed as she clapped her hands. "Show us your _kakugan_!"

He squirmed under her stare. "I... I can't really control it."

"Oh?" She shouted, not in the least unfazed. She pulled out a notebook and a pencil from her lab coat and excitedly scribbled down the information. "How's your _kagune_ then?"

"It's a _rinkaku_ -type," the man against the wall replied, pinning him down with a glare. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. Special Class Investigator Levi."

"I'm Hange Zoë," the woman cried out as she waved her hand. "Your new best friend!"

"And I," the blond man's voice finished, "am Erwin Smith, Head of CCG."

He gulped and wiped his clammy hands on his pants. A ghoul being introduced to the Head of CCG, in the heart of the lion's den, only meant bad news. He scrutinised the man, taking in the pristine suit and polished shoes that were almost shining with cleanliness. His hair was smooth and neatly combed. He was standing with his shoulders squared but his back wasn't rigid. His eyes held some curiosity behind the layer of coldness, but instead of displaying it like Hange his demeanour was similar to Levi's.

"Do you know why you're here?"

"No. I don't even remember how I ended up here."

Levi snorted but Erwin answered with poise, "You were found in the 11th Ward, mad with hunger. Investigator Levi and his partner neutralised you before bringing you here."

As he stared at Levi's scowl, he wondered why his life had been spared. Investigators normally killed ghouls without any hesitation, and only the S-Rated and above were brought to Cochlea, where CCG interned ghouls. As far as he was concerned, he was far from being one and Levi, with a storm brewing in his orbs, was far from being merciful. Erwin probably perceived the confusion on his face because his next sentence answered his interrogation.

"One-eye ghouls are extremely rare; you're a one-of-a-kind specimen."

 _Specimen. Is that what I am to you?_

He ground his teeth, fighting against the irritation spreading within him. Hange's grin broadened. "I'm going to have so much fun with you! How should I call you?"

"I have a name, you know," he answered back, crossed.

"Every ghoul says it has one," Levi retorted, his voice withdrawn but full of poison, "but that's a fucking lie. You name yourself to blend through, to create a facade of humanity so you can fool innocents before you eat them. But in the end you don't have a name. Ghouls are ghouls, and that's all you are. Bloodthirsty monsters."

 _You little shit, I'm gonna rip you apart, you'll see! I'm gonna–_

"Levi," Erwin warned.

He was fuming. He wasn't a monster. He hadn't chosen this. Did they all think he liked it? Did they all think every ghoul enjoyed eating humans to survive? He hated it. He was disgusted with himself, with his red eye, with his _kagune_ , with his regeneration abilities, with his hunger. And now that he was angry, now that he thought about it, he realised that his hunger hadn't been quenched but merely forgotten. A pang tore through him and he bent forward, hands clutching at his stomach. It was growling, and he realised it wasn't the only one. He, too, had started growling. Through his falling bangs, he noticed that Erwin was standing up.

"Hange, get him something to eat." The scientist shot him one last concerned – what? – look before darting out of the room. Erwin edged closer to the glass, brows furrowed. "If you starve, it would only make you more violent, thus harder to control."

Levi opened his coat and drew out a sword almost lazily, but his eyes were animated with fire. "If it tries something, it'll be my pleasure to kill it."

"You bastard," he snarled as he toppled on the floor. You're first. I'll kill you first.

He gritted his teeth together, forcing himself not to growl like some wild animal. Not to prove them right when they were so wrong. Pixis had been nothing but understanding and patient, albeit a little quirky, as he had showed him how to adapt to being a ghoul. Connie was a funny and loyal partner who had no problem to relax. Sasha was just like the latter, and she always ate when Pixis wasn't looking; it never failed to make him laugh. Jean, even if he looked like a horse and acted worse than one, still proved himself to be relatively challenging and interesting to verbally spar with. Marco was kindness incarnate, his eyes always twinkling and his heart always caring. They were all ghouls, with their _kakugan_ , their _kagune_ and a terrible hunger that needed to be satisfied, but they also all displayed human qualities, human beliefs and human minds. They weren't the monsters the CCG accused them to be; they were just people trying to fit in a society, conscience cursed with guilt and shame.

He looked up, determination burning in his eyes. He was going to show them who the human was in this room. Levi had approached so close he now stood at Hange's previous place, his eyes also smouldering. Facing them, he recognised the flame of hatred some investigators had deep within themselves, gnawing at their soul like a rodent on rotten cheese. Pixis, despite his eccentricity, had been serious only once. That had been when talking about them, the Doves, the investigators, who had eyes as blistering as a bursting sun yet a soul as glacial as a freezing land. He had warned them between two sips of coffee that this special 'breed' of investigators were those he had to shy away from, no matter what. They were the ones spreading rumours, entertaining the idea of monsters and most of the time, delivering the coup de grace. They were the most dangerous, the swiftest, the stealthiest, the strongest – the deadliest.

Levi leaned towards him, his face contorted in a condescending sneer. "I should kill you right now, ghoul. Be thankful you are still alive."

He mustered all his willpower not to snarl back. Hopefully, the door slammed as Hange dashed inside, a brown package in one of her hands. Immediately, a sweet aroma filled the room, emptying his head of any threat. He perked up, sniffing the intoxicating smell, and cringed back, disgusted with himself. It was blood and flesh, for God's sake, human flesh. How could he–?

"There you go," Hange chirped as she slid the package in a slot on the wall.

The brown package stood idly on the ground. There was nothing indicating what it contained, not even a red stain on the corner or a suspicious form. Yet the smell was making him lightheaded and he could feel his mouth water against his will. He stared at it as if staring at Death itself. It was death; the death of a man and the death of his own soul. He looked back at Hange who seemed to be barely controlling herself in excitement. She was gripping her pencil so hard he feared it might snap in two. Then he crossed Erwin's piercing eyes.

"If it can ease your mind, this man killed himself."

His eyebrows shot a little. He remembered going out with Shadis, an intimidating, tanned man who barely talked, to retrieve dead bodies down the cliff near a highway. When he had been paralysed, too horrified to move, the ghoul had told him emotionlessly that they were what the 104th Squad ate. It made him feel slightly better, for if this man had killed himself, then he wouldn't mind serving a purpose post-mortem... right? So he had grudgingly helped Shadis. It was the exact same thing, so he rushed to the package, tore it open and didn't even think twice. He couldn't identify what piece he was eating, yet it felt so good he almost moaned. He was aware he was being watched, but he couldn't care less. He had to eat, and the meat was just so tender, so juicy, so delectable. He devoured what he had been offered, feeling like a wolf feasting on rabbits.

When he was done, he realised he was breathing heavily. Had he really forgotten to breathe while eating? Was a starving ghoul desperate to this point? He felt blood dribbling down his chin and he wiped it quickly, his cheeks burning. He didn't dare turn around, for he knew the three humans were examining him. To them, he was nothing but a beast in an exhibit.

"I know what I'm going to call you!" Hange's voice shattered the silence. "I'll call you Titan."

"Titan?" He repeated, blinking. He honestly didn't know what to say about this name that felt too much like a brand put on a caged animal.

Levi snorted, "How fitting, Hange. Titans in mythology are known for eating people too."

"Now that you've eaten," Erwin's cool voice intervened before he could answer back, "I think we can discuss what we're going to do with you."

 _With you._ With _you. As if you're going to do something_ with _me and not_ to _me._

"I'm listening," he nonetheless replied, on edge.

"We don't plan on keeping you here forever. In fact, we're going to release you today."

He choked, incredulous of what he was hearing. "What?"

"You heard me well. The CCG is examining the possibility of an alliance between ghouls and humans. The fact that you are one a eyed-ghoul establishes a direct link with the species we're trying to understand better, so we'll leave you be. However, you will have to report to Hange every weekend and pass whatever test she will conduct. Outside, we'll examine your interactions, your daily life and your diet. Your supervisor will be Levi."

 _You got to be fucking kidding me!_

"Sir," he whispered, choosing his words carefully, "I don't think... Levi is the best choice."

"He is," Erwin restated with the same calmness. "Levi is the best investigator we have and he has dealt with much more ghouls than anyone in the CCG. He's more than capable."

"I mean... He's not... a ghoul. Won't it be suspicious if I hang around a Do– an investigator?"

"That's why you won't be 'hanging around' me, moron," the concerned one snapped.

"Levi will be observing you from afar. In fact, if you forget he's here it'd be better."

 _Like I can forget a fucking idiot is watching me all the time._

"If you want to contact us, you'll go through First Class Investigator Petra Ral," Erwin continued. "If it's an emergency, you may contact Levi himself. Also, we will insert a microchip on the nape of your neck to track you."

The threat was well hidden, yet he heard it in all its glory: _if you try to run away, we will hunt you down and kill you_. Judging from Levi's glance, the investigator almost looked like he was wishing it would happen and that he would be the one dispatch to finish him off.

 _Looks like he's not going to go easy. Well, I won't be going easy on him either._

The two men glared at each other silently. It wasn't going to be a walk in the park, it seemed. Then Levi stormed off, his boots thumping on the ground like a hammer knocking on his head. Hange then trotted up to him, her two palms flat against the glass.

"Tell me, Titan, you said you had a name? What is it?"

"Jaeger. Eren Jaeger."

"Oh, I love it," she shouted in delight, throwing her head back. "The hunter, hunted and muzzled. Has quite a nice catch to it."

She exited the room humming to herself and twirling around. Erwin, on the other hand, was much more serious as he nodded to him.

"We'll see each other again, Eren."

The Head of CCG dimmed the lighting before leaving as well, plunging Eren in the penumbra alone with his sins.


	3. Threatened

**III**

 _There was something truly wonderful if one worked at the CCG, for it never_ _ **stopped.**_ Cases on new ghouls rained down on them. Red dots kept on flashing, appearing and disappearing on an enormous map of Tokyo cut out in Wards. Files piled up on their desks until they reached so high they couldn't see the person sitting ahead. Still, half of their work involved fieldwork, chasing down muddy streets and fighting. They never had a break. Breaks were taken outside, with a Quinque raised and ready to be brought down on a ghoul's head to shatter its skull. Lunches consisted of eating while watching a target, and soon their food would be forgotten and turn cold. Evenings were spent browsing through documents and pinpointing a ghoul's hunting ground. Besides, who could have a day off when they were cleansing humanity from the curse of ghouls?

Most of the staff at CCG knew what they signed up for when they stepped a foot into the Academy. They knew they were going to protect humans, though they might die, lose a limb or worse, be eaten. Still, they were humans themselves, and there were days when humans needed a break too or else they'd collapse in the middle of action. Erwin mostly took his breaks taking a quick nap in his office or eating very, very slowly in his lounge. Hange considered her experiments as breaks since they weren't exactly required. Petra had put a block on her schedule at least once each month to make sure she went out with friends. Oluo, Gunther and Eld always left for some bar on Friday nights, and they never failed to politely invite their superior who always declined. Indeed, Levi had no such time for this.

He was just finishing filling up that new ghoul "Titan"'s file when he felt a shadow hovering behind him, most likely frozen on the threshold. A few dared to enter in what they called his office. It was more like a den, really. It was poorly lit, the sole window blocked with black curtains. The desk was now free of any paper, completely spotless from any fingerprints or speckles of dust. Folders were neatly classified on shelves, and a neat desk with a dry potted plant was centred in the small room. He guessed the plan could've been pleasant to look at if not from the lack of water, sun and care. The earth was as hard as bricks and the leaves, brown shrivelled vestiges.

"A pathetic excuse of a gift from Four-Eyes," Levi whispered as he swivelled on his chair to face Petra. "As if taking care of a plant could anchor me here."

The investigator smiled uneasily. "It's true you're rarely at your desk."

"My duty is to be on the field and not secluded in an office. Anyway, why are you here?"

"Eren's leaving tonight, but Erwin wants you to be close to him for the first day."

Levi bit his tongue so not to let out a string of curses in front of his partner, she who was staring at her with her wide amber orbs. "Eren?" He repeated, the word leaving an acrimonious taste in his mouth. "So that's how that ghoul is called..."

"I've drawn up everything about him from our databanks."

She tiptoed into the office and handed him a document. The ghoul was called Eren Jaeger, 17, student at Shiganshina Academy. Both of his parents were deceased. He lived with his adoptive sister, a certain Mikasa Ackerman. He didn't bother himself with reading everything and rather threw it in the garbage basket. Petra's eyebrows scrunched a little.

"I'm sure this research will benefit you greatly, Petra."

He rose and grabbed his coat thrown over his chair, sliding his arms in the sleeves. He followed Petra as she swiftly spun on her heels and disappeared in the corridor. He knew, just from looking at her back's stiffness which made all the wrinkles of her blouse disappear, that she was piqued. No doubt he had offended her by carelessly glazing over the document and then deciding it would go straight to the garbage. Part of his mind nudged at him to edge closer to her and apologise, but Special Class Investigator Levi never established first contact and never apologised to anyone. So he held his ground, something akin to guilt creeping within him but it was cut short when he noticed Petra had stopped walking. The click of her heels echoed in the empty hallway. Then the clicking started again, yet this time it was against the windows. Levi scowled at the fat droplets hit the glass.

"Levi, sir, I know half of him is a ghoul, but he's also half-human. Don't forget that."

A loud boom startled the two of them, and for starters they thought it was thunder. However, it was Hange running towards them, a familiar lanky form in tow.

"There you are, the two of you! I've looked for you everywhere!"

"You must be Eren," Petra smiled warmly. Levi noted with a pang it was the same she normally reserved for him. "I'm First Class Investigator Petra Ral, but just Petra will do."

The ghoul was watching her with a jaded look. Levi nearly bristled when he didn't offer any kind of response, the ghoul's eyes merely roaming over her petite form. Finally, he murmured, "Nice to meet you."

"Petra's real nice, but you're going home with Levi tonight," Hange piped from behind. Both Levi and the ghoul grimaced. "I'm sure he's enchanted and will take care of you."

She beamed at the two, still exuding her usual positivism. He could sense Petra glancing between the two, as if a mother watching over her cubs. She knew if they were left alone they would most likely try to kill each other at the first opportunity – try, because Levi was convinced she was never going to let it happen. Leave it to Petra to separate two males who hated each other's guts and then scold them like they were children.

"So the plan is simple," the scientist kept going. "Eren met Levi in the 104th Squad and they discovered they had so many affinities it needed development. So Eren decided to invite him over for dinner. Since it's raining tonight, Eren, being the kind guy he is, accepted that Levi slept on the couch for the night. Isn't it neat?"

"This got to be the worst plan I've ever heard of," Levi snorted.

"Mikasa's not going to buy it," the ghoul mumbled, nodding thoughtfully.

"Then make her buy it," Petra softly intervened. "Eren, this is the only time Levi will show his face to you. It's the only time you two will have to work together. Just this once."

The ghoul visibly snarled as he craned his neck. If he wanted to intimidate the investigator using his height, then he was doomed to fail. Levi didn't need to be tall to make his presence known and his orders executed.

"Fine," Eren mumbled. "I'll do it."

All heads turned to Levi and the latter felt himself cringing; the only thing keeping him from refusing this mad plan was Petra's imploring eyes. "Don't expect me to be nice."

"As if you could be," the ghoul snapped back.

Levi could feel eyes burning in his back and he clamped his lips shut to prevent himself from answering back. How could they be friends when they only wanted to wring out each other's neck? It felt like a suicidal mission, but he reminded himself what Petra had said. Just this once. He set his sight on the ghoul.

"I'll be waiting outside."

Levi didn't even wait for an answer and strode away, feeling himself sticky as if the ghoul had laid something on him. Was it simply a shadow, as if his eyes were following him wherever he went? He groaned, shrugging in annoyance, and pushed the door open. Fortunately it was raining. Fortunately, for the rain always soothed him when he was on edge. Fortunately, for he could already feel his body relaxing a little. He looked up to the clouds pouring showers on Tokyo, his hair sweeping from the rising wind. Water sprinkled on him and he blinked, chasing away the droplets falling in his eyes. He tensed, noting a low rumble growing in intensity. He knew it wasn't the thunder. The door noiselessly opened and the ghoul approached him.

Levi scrutinised him, his eyes narrowing. The ghoul had been cleaned and had received a new set of clothes to replace its filthy ones. His nose wrinkled at the undeniable fact that Eren was taller than him. Yet he didn't seem as tall when his shoulders were hunched down, hands tucked in his pockets and his eyes trailing on the ground. His head was a messy mop of brown hair and his eyes, quite particular. Although they shone fierily with disgust when they landed on him, Levi couldn't ignore their colour. It was a combination of green and blue, the endless sky colliding with meadows of infinite emerald.

Without muttering any word, both moved simultaneously as if they had telepathically formed a common agreement. The ghoul only had his drawn hood to shelter himself from the rain while Levi's umbrella was shielding him like a crow spreading its wings above him. They were a peculiar pair, yet they were moving with the same grace and determination. Walking on their own path, they barely acknowledged the other's presence. The investigator was walking slightly behind him, ready to slash the ghoul's throat if he ever thought of making a dash. Eren's shoulders were slumped, droplets nestled in the wrinkles of his shirt, and his trainers were muddy with water. To others he looked like a miserable teenager with a crushed spirit, but to Levi he was nothing but a threat trying to look inoffensive. They walked for a few minutes, completely silent.

"Are we anywhere near your home?" He drawled. _Or are you leading me astray in a dark alley so you can slice my head?_ Honestly, he didn't trust the ghoul – at all.

He could hear the ghoul grumbling above the thundering of the rain, "Almost there."

A sort of vapour was surrounding the ghoul, almost dissimulating him in his personal cloud. Levi tilted his head higher, noticing the rain was sizzling as soon it hit him. He had never seen this before, not even on ghouls who were SS-Rated. This one, if ever the ranking dropped, could be joined in the S-Rated category, but Levi had taken it down so quickly that he didn't deem it worthy. However, the sizzling intrigued him. He wondered if the ghoul's temperature was irregular, or perhaps regular ghouls had colder blood and this one had the 37 °C belonging to humans... What was he even thinking? He wasn't Hange. Hell, he wasn't Petra either. It wasn't his job to babysit a ghoul who, surely, faked to be human around his adoptive sister. His job was to slay ghouls, faking or not. So he stopped on his tracks. Strangely, the ghoul immediately froze, as if sensing his movement.

"You're going to kill me," he whispered, stating it as a fact.

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't? You're a ghoul. That's enough for me."

He unsheathed his sword, wondering if he should be merciful and simply behead him swiftly. Ahead of him, the ghoul had turned around, hands in his pockets, with a bent posture. His eyes were gleaming in the darkness of the hood, but instead of being crimson they were... He felt himself faltering – no, not faltering, merely pondering – as the viridian bore in his charcoal. It was like watching the ocean unfurling waves on him. _I know half of him is a ghoul, but he's also half-human_. _Don't forget that_. No, he wasn't going to let Petra change his mind. He's seen the horrors of ghouls. She might be high-ranked and full of potential, but she was young and still new to the intense cases he worked on. She didn't know.

Levi took his stance; the ghoul didn't move. He raised his sword; the ghoul remained as still as before. As fast as a snake, he darted in his direction and brought the sword in a deadly arch up to his bobbing Adam's apple, the tip of his blade drawing a pearl of scarlet; the ghoul didn't even flinch. Levi internally scowled yet let no emotion bleed through his mask; the viridian, unblinking eyes stared back at him. A flash of lightning tore the sky in half, thunder roaring back, and the rain kept on pouring. Below, nothing moved.


	4. Antagonised

**IV**

 _ **It was enough.**_ Mikasa glanced outside, peering through the curtains and trying to figure something out through the rain. Eren should've been back home now, and the fact that he wasn't made her restless. She knew Eren was reckless and spontaneous, prone to wander off and to do whatever his stupid mind told him, but not to the point of leaving her alone when ghouls roamed in the neighbourhood. She knew Eren had his secrets and hid some things from her because he didn't want her to know, but he had never broken his promise to always tell her if something was wrong. She knew Eren wasn't the most punctual and polite, but with her he knew better or he'd regret it deeply later.

So she leaned by the window sill, her finger brushing away strands of dark hair falling upon her brows, her eyes darting on every shape lurking around the buildings. They were like tendrils of darkness extending up to her porch, trying to penetrate but blocked by the bright streetlamp around the corner.

 _Where are you, Eren?_

With each second ticking by, a rock was settling in the pit of er stomach. Her fingers were soon trembling along with the chatter of her teeth. She didn't know if she should go out and look for him or stay here and wait. Weighing both options didn't get her anywhere, so she grabbed her raincoat, slid in her rubber boots and threw the door open. The darkness shot towards her and she momentarily faltered. Still, her mind was of iron and she sprinted in the alley, her mind a whirling vane in a gale. She was going to get Eren and get him back home. If she had to drag him by the ear to make him, then she would. She wasn't going to remain still like a powerless maiden in a dungeon. She was going to be the knight and extirpate him from the mess he'd thrown himself into. The dragon better be ready, for she was going to crush it herself.

She was still running when she heard gurgling noises. Slowing down, she breathed deeply and looked around for the source. It was coming from an alley, and even if her heart thundered as loudly as the heavens above, she edged closer to the darkness. The tendrils curled around her legs, pulling her nearer. The noises grew louder. There was a pressure around her throat, tightening as her eyes took in the scene ahead of her, and she knew going back to the light would be a feat in itself. And when two eyes shining crimson against stark obsidian, she knew it was impossible.

A ghoul was staring at her, hovering above a mutilated corpse. She could see beads of scarlet smeared near the lips, features languid and glowing, pulsating tendrils sprouting from her back. So these were the tendrils of darkness, the tendrils calling to her, luring her in. Pale blond hair glimmered silver in the obscurity. Her lithe form clad in black held herself proud, her chin tilted upward. The ghoul might've been a model for all she knew, even if she seemed to be smaller than her, or she could've been a business manager with rectangle glasses. Both images suited her with an air of professionalism and sophistication Mikasa had always yearned for. Nonetheless, seeing her as a ghoul didn't ruin the image. It made her look almost sensual, with predation etched on her countenance, and she licked her lips.

Before she could even speak, the ghoul moved so fast that Mikasa didn't even realise she had moved. Next thing she knew, one of the gigantic tendrils had wrapped around her ankle like a ribbon coiled around a gift. With a violent yank, she was thrown upside down and the world swirled like a whirligig. Her sight was now reduced to the ghoul's knees.

"I hate it," whispered a silky voice, "when someone interrupts me when I'm eating."

Mikasa tried watching her, in vain. "It wasn't my intention. I never saw you, you know."

She could hear the smirk bleeding through the ghoul's tone. "You're a clever girl, but not clever enough not to wander in dark alleys. Unfortunately for you, I can't let you go."

Mikasa didn't know if she should beg, try to escape or threaten the ghoul. Her thoughts were muddled and her tongue felt so heavy she couldn't lift it. "My brother..."

"Your brother can't do anything for you. You'll be gone just like every other human who fell to ghouls. You'll be a name on a grave. But don't worry, your death will ensure my survival."

Mikasa stiffened, mustering her strength to haul herself up and kick the ghoul, when she heard a clear whooshing sound followed by a sleek cutting one. The grip around her ankle was released and she was dropped in the mud. The rain obscured her view as droplets gathered on her lashes. A hand pulled her aside and she instinctively hit her assailant, only to be warded off and hushed down.

"Mikasa, it's me, Eren," a familiar voice came to her ears. "Please, tell me you're alright."

"Idiot!" was the only response she could muster. She rose unsteadily, supported by Eren's arms around her, and she clung on his hoodie not to slide in the mud. "Where were you?"

His stance became defensive and his worried expression turned sour. "That's all you've got to say? You're not my mum and I can take care of myself real fine, thank you!"

She was about to argue when Eren turned abruptly and threw them on the ground, rolling about a meter away. Was the light claiming her back? She pushed Eren who was weighing down on her and looked up to see only a blur of movements.

"What–?" She began inquiring, but Eren pulled her up and dragged her along.

"We have to get out of here. Now."

"But... What about...? Who...?"

She couldn't quite describe the scene before her. She could barely see the silhouette of a svelte man with a silver blade moving around the ghoul, a sort of blue and white fire dancing on his back. The ghoul was as emotionless as ever, being the perfect image of indifference, as her enormous tendrils blocked the attacks bombarding her. They were shifting in sync, two hunters fighting for dominance over the other. Eren's hold around her arms tightened, insistent.

"Mikasa, the guy's giving us time so we have to take it. We have to go."

She didn't even have time to gather herself, for he was tugging violently at her sleeve. She was sure he'd ripped it off, and she wondered how he'd got so strong in such a small amount of time. She'd always been the stronger between the two, but now he was showing an uncanny strength she'd never though he could possess. She fumbled in her own feet, afraid the mud would try to swallow her, and ground her teeth together. She didn't quite understand the affiliation Eren had with the man, who was clearly an investigator. Her brother was such a magnet of trouble. Of all people, he had to hang around a ghoul hunter.

"Eren, stop it," she shouted and freed herself from his grasp. "Tell me what's going on."

"Mikasa, we'll have time to talk about that when we'll be home and dry."

His eyes were gleaming oddly, reminding her of a scarecrow watching over a garden, hiding its secrets. Her hands curled into fists. "Eren Jaeger, tell me everything you know right now."

He visibly hesitated, his mouth twisting in a grimace. "Look, it's really complicated and–"

Whatever he was going to say was drowned in a ruckus, alarms from cars blaring in the distance. Mikasa stiffened, searching reassurance next to Eren, and yelped when she caught a glimpse of bright light flashing down beside them. It wasn't lighting, but perhaps something as dangerous. The investigator had landed just behind Eren. The water trailing down his coat had a rather pink tinge instead of the usual translucent one. The wings on his back flapped as if in anxiousness, and now that she was seeing him closer, she saw what should've been feathers were rather crystal glimmering in a scope of ivory and sapphire. The investigator swiped strands of hair out of in front of his eyes, revealing a pair of piercing slate-coloured eyes that were as cold as steel. His expression was of marble.

"Lead the way," was all he said, and Mikasa noticed he hadn't sheathed his sword yet.

Wordlessly, Eren nodded and, taking her hand, began running towards home. She followed eagerly, dreaming of a hot shower and tea on the couch with Eren. The investigator was tailing them from a respectable distance, watching their backs. Instead of feeling at ease now that the man was here, she felt rather bothered and tried not to let it show. However, as she met his glare, she understood that it was reciprocate. The man was as dangerous as the ghouls he was chasing, for he had the same shaded light in his eyes that belonged to a killer. She couldn't quite explain it, but she knew the man hated them. She assumed he had saved them only because it was his job to do so, but if he had to decide, he would've left them alone in the alley. Thinking back, wasn't Eren with him when he arrived? Could it be... that they were together before she had been attacked? Did it mean... they were friends?

No. She knew Eren better than this – or so she hoped – and this man didn't fit at all. He would always put Eren below himself and Eren would only annoy him. Definitely not. When they reached the porch, a wave of relief washed over her and she almost slumped against Eren. He chuckled lightly as the man arrived a few seconds after she was hushed inside. The man removed his coat, slinging it on his arm, and inspected their house with a gaze as cutting and precise as a hawk's. She tensed, considering this rather austere glance like an intrusion. Eren must've felt it too, for he awkwardly patted her shoulder to calm her down. He knew better than anyone than it was better not to anger her. Hopefully for him, the investigator cast his eyes towards the window.

"Charming house, Jaeger."

"Thank you," Eren responded, but his answer seemed crisp. He then turned to her and she felt like he wanted her to leave them alone. "Mikasa, would you go fetch towels?"

She nodded reluctantly, spinning on her heels. She could already hear whispers erupting from the living room and found herself fuming. She respected Eren and his privacy, but this stranger had just stared at their house like it was a dumping ground. He had waltzed inside with his bloodied coat and muddy boots. She growled as she grabbed the towels a little more forcefully than necessary. She wiped her face, observing her messy hair and ashen face in the mirror. She looked like a banshee. Straightening, she almost dashed back to the living room, yet trying not to make noises. She wanted to hear them talking, but rather walked on them staring at each other as if they hoped they could stab each other's back.

"Eren, care to tell me who this... man is?"

He adroitly caught the towel she threw at him, frowning. "His name's Levi."

Levi was a short man with glossy raven hair, currently holding a sword dripping water and blood on her floor and a bored countenance that immediately grated her nerves. "Eren asked me to walk him back because of the high ghoul activity in your neighbourhood."

"Is that so?" She replied, not believing one word that came from his mouth. Eren would be too proud to accept 'protection' from someone, investigator or not. "Well, I'm glad you accompanied him."

She had to give him that. Without him, she probably would've been a ghoul's meal. She would've died a stupid death. She would've never seen Eren again. Talking about Eren, she glanced at him sideways, noticing that his cheeks were flushed and he was almost completely dry. His eyes were opened, alert, as beautiful as when he had gone out this morning. His chestnut brown hair was full of knots and a few splatters of soil were staining his clothes, but otherwise he was fine. _He was fine_.

"I guess I should be going," Levi coolly told them.

"No," Eren protested quickly, "stay for tonight. It's late, you're all soaked, and who knows if the ghoul's still outside? Besides, it's the least we can do to thank you for saving Mikasa."

Even if Mikasa wanted nothing but kicking this Levi out of her house, she nodded her approval. Levi simply stared at them, and with a shrug signalled he accepted their invitation – Eren's one. However, Eren looked like he was trying not to cringe and everything in his demeanour screamed he wanted to be away from Levi. Something was definitely going on between those two, and she wasn't sure she would like it.

"We don't have a guest room," she informed him, "but—"

Levi had already moved to the couch. "It'll do. Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

There was the opportunity she was looking for. "No, it's alright. In the back on the left."

The investigator left, following her instructions. As soon as he was out of sight, she turned to Eren and embraced him. She had longed to touch him since he had appeared back in that alley, to make sure he was real. She knew he would never disappear with no explanation, but this episode had scared her more than she thought. All those damn ghouls hovering in the neighbourhoods made her worry for his safety.

"I'm so glad you're alright. Where have you been?"

"I've been held back at the 104th Squad longer than expected. We received a bunch of late clients and Connie was too nice so let them in."

Mikasa scowled at him. "I've called them. You weren't there." She saw his face crunch in realisation but it was too late to backpedal. "Eren, you can tell me. Don't you trust me?"

"I, uhm..." He disentangled himself from her arms, grimacing. "You see..."

"You're lying to me on your whereabouts and you're bringing this man home. I'm not stupid, I can see you hate his guts as much as he hates yours. What were you thinking?"

"I was clearly not, but he did save your life. It's just one night, Mikasa. One. It doesn't hurt, does it?"

She sighed, her arms akimbo. "I reckon it doesn't, but what about the lie?"

"He didn't want to tell you because he knew you'd disagree." She recognised the irking voice and glanced over her shoulder to see Levi. "He's with me. He wants to become an investigator as well and I gave him a tour of CCG."

Mikasa's heart skipped a beat. "Eren? Is that true?"

He looked like a cornered prey. "It's—"

"Absolutely true," Levi finished for him. "He's showing potential. We might notice him."

Eren looked incensed, but it was nothing compared to his adoptive sister. When he crossed his gaze, it looked like he was shrinking on himself.

"You owe me some explanations, Eren Jaeger."


	5. Analysed

**V**

 ** _Hange was used to working with ghouls._** As Head of Research, she had made it her mission to identify why exactly ghouls needed human flesh and to find a solution to that. No, she wasn't going to create a disease affecting only ghouls. No, she wasn't trying to find their weaknesses so investigators could exploit it. No, she wasn't tearing their Quinque apart and building weapons with them. She was acting as professionally as her job demanded, as respectfully as she should and as humanely as possible. However, ghouls were wary of her – she couldn't blame them – but she did her best to make her 'experiments' agreeable to them. However, investigators kept on pressing her for information on the best way to cripple a ghoul and it was only with great unwillingness that she'd reveal a little. However, some people in her team were designated to create Quinques and she'd watch them with a scowl.

Yes, she was used around ghouls – but what about a one-eyed ghoul? She had spent the entire night skimming through her files, browsing through the CCG database and jotting down her hypothesises. She lacked of knowledge, but it had never stopped her before. In fact, it made her even more zealous in her research. She knew one-eyed ghouls were extremely rare. It was combination as probable as being hit by lightning and winning the lottery on the same day. She knew the vessel had a human's attributes but also a ghoul's ones. She didn't quite know how to differentiate the two, but from what she'd gathered on Titan's/Eren's first contact, he had a _kagune_ and _kakugan_ just like any other ghoul. Also, his diet was entirely one of a ghoul, which was quite a shame. She had hoped the human's side would've won on this matter.

Her eyes glazed to the clock and opened wide when she saw the time. 8:59 flashed brightly in the darkness of her office. Blimey! She had to meet with Eren. Hopefully, Levi hadn't reduced him to a pile of bones and ashes. Springing out of her chair, she slammed the door open and sprinted down the corridor. She finished her running on the first floor as soon as the clock ticked nine. Looking around, she had no difficulty spotting the two men standing in the waiting area. Eren's eyes were showing signs of slight worry, and his distress made her tread cautiously. She didn't want to scare him. As for Levi, he was glowering at her.

"As punctual as always."

"I'm not late!" She retorted cheerfully. "So, did you two bond yet?"

Eren's look was full of confusion and revolt as he repeated, "Bond?"

"I'm sure you two are the best friends in the universe now, aren't you?" She laughed at seeing their appalled features. "I'm afraid I'll have to kidnap your buddy for today, Shorty."

"You can keep the brat, Shitty Glasses," the investigator snickered.

Without any other word, Levi left them. Hange turned to Eren excitedly but tried not to let her keenness take over. "Alright, follow me, Eren."

She bounced around as she moved, her ponytail swinging like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. The ghoul was following her quietly. She still hadn't determined if she had already traumatized him, or if his silence was his defence mechanism. She judged it was the latter and began thinking about questions to ask him later. If she wanted her experiments to be pleasant and not a torture session, she had to entertain the ghoul as much as herself. What would a one-eyed ghoul like to know? She could perhaps answer to his questions about how his ghoul part functions. She could perhaps prod around his past, but only if he felt comfortable enough. She felt no uneasiness to speak about herself or others, but decided not to talk too much about the practicalities of working for CCG. A teenager like Eren would prefer hearing anecdotes about the staff rather than the legalities revolving around the hunt of half of his kin.

When they reached her lab, Eren looked like he was about to get sick. Hange was dreading he would faint, but then again she was sure he was stronger than he looked.

"So, Eren, how about we do some formalities before starting?" He gulped, nodding, and sat on the chair she was indicating. She pulled a file from a drawer and sat facing him. "Your name is Eren Jaeger, son of Grisha and Carla Jaeger, right? No siblings."

"I have a sister. She's adopted."

"Oh! Lovely. What's her name?" The scientist chirped as she scribbled down the information.

"Mikasa Ackerman."

"Ackerman...," she repeated, frowning. She had heard Levi referring to an 'Ackerman' once, but she had never dared pushing around the subject. "What about her family? Dead?"

"Yeah. She was nine when she got in our family."

"Neat. So, you're seventeen and your birthday's on March 30. Height of 170 centimetres and weight of 63 kg. Type of _kagune_ , _rinkaku_ – oh, I can't wait to see it!" She squealed.

Eren squirmed on his seat. "Are you... going to make me transform?"

Hange flicked her pen with her fingers, tapping it lightly against her lower lip. Since the ghoul had been fed just yesterday, he was in shape to shift. However, this case was particular and perhaps it would be too much to ask for only a half-ghoul. Besides, from what she had just heard, he was still unaccustomed to his... situation. The last thing she wanted was to shock an angry and inexperienced one eyed-ghoul – a _one-eyed ghoul_! However... of all the things she was ready to do for the name of science!

"Eren, for my experiments, I have to measure your _rinkaku_ and examine a part of it with my adorable microscope. However, keep in mind that I am a trained investigator of the CCG."

"I don't want to offend you, but you look like everything but a trained investigator."

"So that's why I called a good friend of mine to watch over you."

As if on cue, the door slid with a sleek sound, revealing a familiar face framed with caramel hair. She entered, her heels clicking on the ground. She shot a bright smile to him, and not one wrinkle appeared on her face. It seemed like the sun had filtered some rays down in this tiny and dark bunker.

"Don't worry, Eren. If anything happens, I'll make sure to take care of it."

"Well, I've cleared everything written down on your file, Titan Eren Jaeger. Now, we may proceed with the fun part. How about a simple test to begin with? The main objective will be to control your transformation. You're still learning, so we'll find some pointers to direct you. You need a trigger to spark your transformation, but also one to stop it."

He shot Petra a distressed look, but she kept on smiling. "It'll be alright, Eren."

"So tell me about your _kagune_. How do you fare with it?"

"Do you want the ghoul's answer of the human's one?"

"How about both? We'll start with the ghoul first."

"It's like... an extension of the body. Of course, it's exactly what it is but it feels natural. My movements are instinctive. I don't know how I control them but my subconscious does. As for the human part, it's a curse. It disgusts me. Each time the ghoul summons it, I feel like it's taking control over me and uses me to achieve it to its own end."

Hange scowled, noting how Eren was separating himself from the ghoul. It wasn't so surprising, but it wouldn't be so healthy if he kept clinging on it. One's sanity was determined by acceptation and not denial. However, the scientist let it slide for the moment since they were so early in their meetings. She faithfully jotted down Eren's answers.

"Alright. I'd like you to summon it now. Imagine your _kagune_ and feel it expand."

Eren went rigid, yet he closed his eyes obediently and forced himself to take a deep breath. His shoulders shuddered, his lips twitching. Hange observed him, a bit ashamed of feeling so interested in seeing him obviously in discomfort. She noted that his hands were steady, despite all his body quivering in what she assumed was whether effort or pain – or both, who knew? Eren bit his lower lip enough to draw blood, but otherwise he looked the same. She was about to write it down with a bit of disappointment, but then she noticed a strange sizzling and smoke surrounding his face. It came from his lips, where he had hurt himself. Was this ghoul regeneration?

Hange suppressed a squeak as her pen furiously scribbled in her notebook. Could she draw a correlation with the human and ghoul side? If biting invoked the ghoul side and his hands were the only thing immune against his nervousness, then it could mean...

"Bite your hand."

It completely broke his concentration as his eyes opened wide, incredulous. "What?"

"I said bite your hand! Come on!"

Eren nodded and immediately went back to his sort of trance. Hange only waited a few seconds before the teen complied, sinking his teeth in his flesh. His features turned irate, as if he would turn into the Hulk in the next second, and Petra's stance grew rigid. Hange jumped on the balls of her feet. Eren suddenly let out a roar, his hand falling limply on his lap with streams of blood running down. There was a cracking sound like bones snapping and then Hange saw it. Tentacles were poking out of his back, stretching like a cat stirred away from slumber, uncurling like twigs reaching for the sun. They were giant, just like Levi had promised. They hit the bunker's ceiling with a loud thud that surely shook the ground above. They were the same colour of his eyes, a teal that surely made women swoon, and pulsing as an ethereal light coursed through it.

"Amazing!" The scientist yelled as she readjusted her glasses frantically. "This is amazing!"

Petra's eyes were guarded, her hands clutching her Quinque disguised as a white briefcase. All traces of her friendliness had disappeared. "Hange, can you control him?"

"Uhm... Eren," she called, bowing down to him, "are you there?"

He was bent down, his arms lying lifelessly beside his body, his head hanging low. The tentacles jerked, the only sound shattering the silence being his wheezes. In wonder, she gazed up at the _kagune_ and estimated the diameter of eighty-five centimetres. She had never seen one so huge before, and it made her wonder if he had simply been blessed by his ghoul side or it had something to do with his human one. Eager to test his reflexes, she grabbed a beaker and and threw it at the ceiling. Instantly, one of the tentacles twitched to life and lunged to the object, curling around it without breaking it. Hange could only watch in awe, her jack slack, as the tentacle lowered and put it down on the desk.

"Thank you, Eren," she murmured. Tentatively, she lifted his chin to see half-lidded eyes staring back at her. She was saddened that his _kakugan_ hadn't appeared, yet she couldn't help but smiling at what she had witnessed. "Say, how about we play a game?"

"Hange," Petra intervened, her voice a warning in itself. "No life-threatening games."

"Then you don't know me very well."

Her eyes glinted, light catching her glasses. Petra pursed her lips in a way Levi would be proud of and then looked away. Hange turned to the ghoul, rubbing her hands in anticipation.

* * *

Eren would've lied if he said he remembered what had happened with Hange. Truth to be told, he remembered everything until the scientist had incited him to bite his hand. The rest was a blur, like watching a scene from an aquarium. The only proof that it hadn't been a dream was an elated Hange almost choking him in a hug as she waved him goodbye. Then, Petra had grasped him by the shoulders, drawing him away from the bunker. They had left the building and the walls had started spinning. His head was throbbing, but Petra had brought aspirins just like any loving mother would. He vaguely remembered settling down in her car and then walking up to the coffee shop where they currently were. His dizziness had eventually faded away as he had swallowed the pill along with a gulp of coffee.

"You did great today," she told him, snapping him out of his daze.

"I don't even know what I did," he mumbled. "Did you... have to stop me?"

"No. You didn't do great just for that; you did great because I felt like we advanced. Hange was really pleased with the results she got. I'd never seen so excited before."

"If you say so..."

Still, it gave him hope a little. If he really helped the CCG, then perhaps they'd slack their surveillance and learn to trust him. Dealing with two opposite sides at once was demanding, and he wondered how long he could hide his sort of contract with the Doves from the 104th Squad. Each time he saw Pixis or Shadis or anyone, he felt a pang of guilt. Hopefully, Petra hadn't chosen the 104th Squad as a place to rest after the experiments, but nothing guaranteed it wouldn't happen next time. He drowned his worry in his cup of coffee, feeling her eyes lingering on him.

"Levi told me you were attacked yesterday."

"More like my sister was," he growled as he remembered Mikasa dangling from the ghoul's kagune. His hands clenched around his cup. "What happened to the ghoul?"

"It escaped." Seeing his fuming expression, she précised cautiously, "More like Levi let it go. His mission was to watch over you, not chase after ghouls."

"I could've killed that ghoul myself while he could've stayed with Mikasa."

"If you had done that, you would've indirectly told your sister you were a ghoul. No human being without the professional training of an investigator can confront a ghoul. Levi was your best option. His choice is not yours to make."

"But it concerned me. I had my word to say."

Petra sighed, shaking her head. "Eren, in situations like these, we have to act and think rationally. Levi is tasked with your protection. Going after the ghoul meant disobeying direct orders from the CCG and there could've been a chance that the ghoul wasn't alone. Another could've attacked you right in front of your sister. You could've died. She could've been eaten. Do you understand?"

Even if his pride had taken a blow, he could understand. However, deep down, he was convinced he still would've been able to protect Mikasa and himself. He was half-ghoul, half-human, for God's sake. Of course, he could draw both sides' strength and use it to its full potential. Petra laid back on her seat, sipping her coffee. Eren looked down at the lukewarm liquid in his cup. Yes, he was half-ghoul, half-human, but of all the human food he could digest, it was simply coffee.

"The next days shouldn't be too eventful," the investigator kept going. "I stretch it to a week. If the ghoul wants to attack you again, it'll know you are under protection."

"Are you sure Levi will be discreet? I don't want people asking about me hanging with a–"

"Levi has experience in this kind of things, believe me," she assured him. "Keep living the way you do, Eren. Don't bother about us."

 _Keep living the way I do, uh? Keep hunting humans; is that what you're saying?_ He couldn't help but spitefully thinking. He knew Petra didn't mean it that way, but that familiar disgust rose within him again. He fidgeted on his seat, wondering if he should ask–

"Hange will feed you twice a month to keep your healthy and strong," Petra whispered, as if reading directly from his head. "If we see you feeding on a human, dead or alive, the contract will be broken."

It was impressive how the woman could easily switch from kind and friendly to being a dutiful and loyal investigator. Eren felt like a soldier as he nodded, "Understood."

"We haven't really looked at the contract itself, but I'm sure we don't have to skim through it. You're smart enough to know what to do and what not to do."

"What happens if I attack Levi?"

Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. "Why would you do that?"

"He has a knack to get on my nerves. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up with him... I'd rather have you watching me. I'll know someone really values my life."

"Eren, Levi values your life."

"Yeah, sure," he replied, rolling his eyes. "He wants to kill me and he almost just did that."

He told her what had happened from the moment they had left the building until they had reached home. Petra's features didn't change, and Eren could tell she was analysing what he had said. He hoped she believed heim for it was his word against Levi's, her boss. Then she brought her cup to her lips, yet didn't tip it to drink from it.

"He was testing you. He does that to everyone."

"Well, for a test, it was fucking dangerous! He had his blade right under my chin!"

"Levi... has unique methods to determine one's worth," she declared after searching for her words. "I had to get through it too when I got in his Squad. Actually, I think everyone he encountered was put through it, and not everyone succeeded in the way you did."

"I succeeded? I didn't even move; how is that a fucking success?"

"I believe Levi tested your ethics back then. He wanted to see how you'd react to danger when confronted by an investigator. You didn't attack him, even when he had made it clear he would kill you. I think he deduced you were leaning more on your human side rather than your ghoul's, therefore you were to be trusted."

 _"You're going to kill me," Eren murmured._

 _"Is there a reason why I shouldn't? You're a ghoul. That's enough for me."_

 _His ears perked up as he heard the sword being unsheathed. What should he do? He couldn't let himself be killed when Mikasa was waiting for him at him. He couldn't let himself be killed with Armin practically friendless at school. He couldn't let himself be killed when he hadn't avenged his mother's death. Slowly, he turned around and stared at the investigator. Levi was standing with his arms spread, one holding a rectangular blade glimmering with a silver sheen. Then he inclined his head, ready to pounce as his sword titled towards him. Before Eren could even react, he saw a flash of white and he could feel the cold blade against his Adam's apple. He froze, wondering if this sword, which was obviously made out of a ghoul's Quinque, could slice through his flesh._

 _Levi's eyes were smouldering, its colour clashing with the rain falling on his eyelashes. Eren was mesmerised by the droplets following the contour of his jaw line. He let his eyes trail on his face, drinking in the smoothness of the skin and the impassable mask he was wearing. Eren didn't feel like moving. He could just stay there, watching him, waiting. Yet, while he could wait, others couldn't. Mikasa couldn't wait forever. Armin couldn't stay alone forever. His mother couldn't rest in peace if she wasn't avenged. A flash of lightning tore the sky in half, thunder roaring back, and the rain kept on pouring. Still, he was immobile._

 _Levi removed his sword, eyes flashing in alert. "A ghoul's nearby."_

 _Then he darted off, stunning Eren as he watched him sprinting away at a speed that could've rivalled a ghoul's in the rain._

"How is that... even possible? Why would he want to test me?" Eren grumbled.

"Levi doesn't know how to act around you. His mind keeps on reminding him that you're a ghoul like every other one he's encountered, but he can't forget the fact that there's a part of you which is human. Since you belong to both sides, it makes him uneasy."

 _I make him... uneasy?_

"Petra, what do you think will happen?"

He was offering her many openings. He could be talking about his contract with the CCG, about Levi's guard or about Hange's experiments. He could be talking about his ghoul side, about how he had to deal with a new diet and his _kakugan_. He could be talking about the future in itself, about the relationship between humans and ghouls or about the repercussions of his unique condition. He could be talking about the weather, for all he knew. Yet he let Petra lead the discussion. She put her elbows on the table and brought her hands together, resting her chin on them. She blinked, deep in thought, and then smiled.

"I think... that we shouldn't think too much. We'll just let it come as it comes. Levi has some saying about it too. It's something among those lines: 'no matter what people think you should do, nobody will be able to tell you if it's right or wrong until the consequences happen.' So you should just follow your heart, Eren, and do what you won't regret."

 _Will I regret agreeing with the terms of the CCG? Will I regret being experimented on by Hange? Will I regret working along with Levi?_

Only time will tell if he had made the right decision. From now, all he could do was to bear with the CCG, bear with Hange, bear with Levi and most of all, bear with himself.

* * *

 **It was supposed to be two different chapters, but it didn't feel good if I cut it in the middle. So there you go.**

 **Thank you for reading, reviewing, favouriting, following :)**


	6. Observed

**VI**

 _ **Going to school nowadays was most... troublesome.**_ What kept him going was his grandfather's smile and his expectations on his performance at school, but truly he would've preferred staying in bed. Armin didn't have a lot of friends. He wasn't a social butterfly and unfortunately, his love for books didn't help him getting along with others. Most people didn't even know who Annie Leonhart was. It was a shame, for she was an exceptional writer, yet she had built her reputation with her last published book, _The Girl in the Crystal Cage_. Her books were what he talked about the most.

However, with Eren, it was natural. He could talk about books, but also about school without giving a nerd vibe. Eren would inform him about sports and trivia facts that everyone seemed to know except for him. With Eren, he felt normal and people didn't bother him. Without Eren, he was back to being the freak loving books and he could hear snickers in his back.

"Oi, Mushroom, did your bodyguard let you down? It was about time."

Funny thing how Eren, no matter how impetuous and idealist he was, could get along with almost everyone. Armin didn't look down and kept on walking, refusing to yield. He was friends with Eren since he was quite young, but most people didn't know that. Most people thought he had latched himself on Eren just like a parasite, burdening him. It hurt to hear the thoughts spoken aloud when he sometimes himself pondered on them.

"Mushroom, are you deaf? I'm talking to you!"

Armin clenched his teeth together, jaw locked. No, he wouldn't give them the satisfaction to– He gasped as he felt himself tripping. He only had the time to throw his hands in front of him to cushion his fall, but he winced as his body hit the ground. He could feel moisture in his eyes and he angrily wiped it, ashamed of his own weakness. A small crowd had gathered around, silent witnesses observing with glassy eyes and sleeping minds. Armin kneeled on the ground, noticing his bag was lying nearby with some of its content strewn in the dirt. Leonhart's book was peeking from inside his schoolbag, the black and white cover thankfully immaculate.

"He can't even walk properly. How pathetic. Look at this." His eyes widened when the novel was picked up by the hands of someone clearly brutal and surely illiterate – someone who didn't deserve touching such a masterpiece of literature.

"Give it back!" Armin shouted, scrambling to his feet.

The boy sneered as he held the book out of his reach. "Why would I do that, uh?"

"Because you don't want me to kick your ass." The familiar voice shook Armin to the core and he turned around, seeing a fuming Eren with a peculiar white eyepatch concealing on his left eye. "Give it back to Armin now."

It was common knowledge at Shiganshina Academy that an angry Eren was extremely dangerous. Whispers rippled from the crowd, sentences such as 'I bet five hundred yen on Jaeger' or 'Oh man, shit's going down' erupting. As much as Armin was relieved to see his friend well and back, he didn't want him to fight his battle. Hopefully, the brute merely sniggered and tossed the book away. Armin caught it just in time, patting the cover, and Eren bent down to pick up his bag. The crowd was visibly disappointed in the lack of action and broke apart, people going their own way. As soon as they were alone, Armin beamed at his friend.

"Eren, you have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too," he answered but his voice seemed strained. Now that he had his full attention, Armin noticed how Eren's ears were tinged red – something was going on.

"So, what happened when you were gone? Are you alright?" Armin asked smoothly.

"I'm fine."

But the smile he was offering him was fake. His eyes — well, eye, really — were devoid of any light. His white eyepatch was unsettling. Such a pale shade didn't fit Eren's light tan and made his chestnut hair seemed darker than usual. His remaining eye, however, was a tempestuous ocean.

"What about your eye? What happened?"

"Oh, nothing serious. Are you still up for that autograph thing?"

Armin wasn't a fool. He knew fairly well that it was his friend's way to change topics. He didn't push but filed it in his mind for later.

"You mean, you don't mind?" He asked, looking down his copy of _The Girl in the Crystal Cage._

"I don't. In fact, I, uhm, found someone who'd like to come as well. Is it okay if he tags along?"

"He likes Annie Leonhart too? Oh, that's just brilliant."

As much as Armin was genuine in his feelings, he wondered if he should feel menaced by this new friend who could steal his place as Eren's best friend. He brushed away the thought instantly. This was Eren. He was the boy who had grown into a young man, whom he had seen grown, whom he had grown alongside. He was the student who couldn't sit straight during the day, itching to run outside. He was his intelligent albeit a little disorganised friend, whom he helped finishing his homework. How could he have ever doubted him?

Eren, oblivious to his internal monologue, looked like he had been punched in the face.

"So... you're alright with it."

Armin frowned, puzzled. "Shouldn't I be? Is he—"

"He's not the nicest man, but he probably won't talk so that makes him tolerable."

He could only nod at Eren's contradictory speech. It didn't matter who he decided to bring, as long as he could see Annie Leonhart. He had dreamed many times about meeting her. He hoped he would make a good impression. He hoped he could express to her just how much her books were masterpieces. Yet he knew that he'd mostly end up gaping like a fish in front of her, as red as a beet, with Eren nudging at him to say something. Maybe he could count on Eren's friend to tell her how wonderful she was.

* * *

Eren's friend was not what he had expected. Then again, he didn't quite know what kind of people Eren hung out with, but he didn't feel like this man fit the description. He was a man sculpted from stone with a snow-kissed skin. Dark wisps of hair fell on his forehead yet not low enough as to hide his eyes of steel. He was dressed with a fashion that Armin failed to understand. He was clad in a black trench coach, a cravat tied around his neck. His hands were gloved in white.

"Armin, this is Levi. Levi, this—"

"I'm not deaf, brat."

Even his voice, condescending, was unlike any of Eren's friends. Friend was a huge term, for Eren's lips curled in a snarl and his eyebrows furrowed. Armin waved at Levi with a quivering smile before he led Eren away to the line of people standing in front of a library for the autographs.

"Eren, are you sure Levi is your friend? He looks rather... scary."

"Don't bother about him. Ignore him."

Armin would've liked to listen to his advice, but he felt bad ignoring Levi who was right behind them. Instead, he spun around and gave him his brightest smile, trying to find against the shaking of his hands, clasped in his back.

"Which of her books did you like the most?"

He didn't as much as twitch. "Books?"

"Yes... Her books. My favourite's _The Girl in the Crystal Cage._ "

He looked away, head tilting. "Never heard about it."

"Ah? It's her most famous book. How have you heard about her then?"

Levi was about to answer when Eren growled loud enough for both of them to hear.

"Leave it there, Armin. He's a lost cause."

But it fell to deaf ears as the blond boy peered above the shoulders of people in front of them. "Guys, I can see her," he squeaked, holding his book closer to his heart.

He could see a glimpse of blond hair as pale as wheat but it didn't deter him. His heart was thumping as he grounded his teeth together as not to squeal. Then the line shifted and she came in their view. She looked apathetic, with her lips pursed, her blue eyes frigid as they were riveted to the book she was signing. Her hair was tied in a loose bun, locks falling in front of her right eye.

"She looks like an ice statue," Levi muttered behind him.

"Look who's talking," Eren snorted.

"At least I know for a positive fact that I am human, which I cannot say for you."

"Eren, if I faint will you still make her sign my book?" Armin inquired, eyes darting from the author and back to his friend frantically. The only thing keeping him from fidgeting was his book, which he held in a deathly grip. "Can you also tell her how I absolutely love her other works?"

"Hey, calm down, it's not like you're going to die. Just go with the flow."

"Go with the flow... Go with the flow... What if the flow makes me faint? What if—?"

"Listen brat, if you don't shut up, I'll make sure you do and you won't like it."

Eren whirled around with fury etched on his features. "I dare you to say that again, bastard."

"Who are you calling a bastard, monster?" Levi retorted, eyes flickering with the fire of hatred.

"Good afternoon. Whose book do I sign?"

Armin would've collapsed in both shame and agitation had it not been from Eren pushing him upright. Annie Leonhart was watching them with indifference, her pen immobile between her fingers. Armin unfroze at the sight, putting his edition in front of her.

"Uhm, it's mine. It's _The Girl in the Crystal Cage_."

"I know," she answered, opening the book. "I recognised the cover I have selected."

"O-Of course! My name is Armin. What is—? What am I saying, haha? I know what your name is. You're the great Annie Leonhart," he stuttered between nervous giggles.

She cocked an eyebrow, her hand about to write stilling. "I'm just Annie Leonhart."

"N-No, you're not. I mean, yes, you are, but you _are_ great. It's not like everyone can write books as wonderfully as you can. Your stories are enthralling and once we pick up one of your novels, we can't put it back until we're finished. And it's a good thing, Miss Leonhart. It's a marvellous thing. You're my favourite author and I think you deserve more acknowledgement."

She blinked, and then pushed the book back to him. "Thank you for your support. It is most appreciated. Here is your copy."

Armin picked it up, tears of joy almost sprouting from his eyes. She had thanked him! She had signed his book! It had once been his treasure, but now he would worship this book that now held her precious signature. He was about to bow before leaving when he noticed her eyes had strayed in his back, taking in the two brooding men accompanying him. She seemed to be interested by Eren's eyepatch as it had her entire focus.

"Do you want me to a sign a copy as well?"

Her voice was colder, as if possible. While Eren's eye was wide in surprise, Levi's narrowed. Armin noted how his back stiffened the longer he was staring at her.

"We're fine without one."

"Alright. Be careful on your way home."

"You should be vigilant as well."

Then Levi grabbed them by the sleeves and dragged them away from her. While Armin found it that Eren's friend acted so rudely towards them and Annie Leonhart herself, he was still floating on his cloud. When they were far enough from the library, the blond bowed to them.

"Thank you for coming with me."

"I'm glad you saw her. I know just how much you gush about her and her books," Eren smiled.

"I'm not gushing," Armin protested, but his flushed cheeks were betraying him. He turned to Levi, uncertain. "I hoped you liked it as well."

"I did. It was informative."

There was a glint in his eyes he didn't like. Eren had noticed it too and didn't seem to like it. They exchanged a glance, but Levi had donned back his marble mask.

"What's the story of your book?"

It took Armin a few seconds to realise he was the one he was addressing himself to. "Uhm, it's in the year 850, in a world where humanity is confined in three cities surrounded by gigantic walls. The outside is full of Titans, which are humanoid creatures ranging from two to twenty meters that eat humans. It may seem farfetched at first but it's a good story."

"Did Leonhart inspire herself of her own life to write this?"

"It's more a fantastic type of work, but she may have projected phases of her life in the main character's story. From what I understood, the girl is not really trapped in a crystal cage. It's a metaphor. She's trapped in the world she's living to, which is as fragile and as clear as crystal. She can see the other side and is tempted to transcend the glass, but she can never go there without shattering the world she lives in. As twisted as it is, she doesn't want to break it. So she tries changing her own world drastically but they brand her as a foe."

Levi scowled, glaring at Eren. "I'll see you tomorrow after you're done with Hange."

Then he left them, not looking back to a baffled Armin and a glowering Eren.

* * *

 **Armin is such a cutie. Levi is mysterious. Eren is angry.**

 **Thank you again for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following :D**


	7. Targeted

**VII**

 _ **Eren was relieved that the 104th was just the same as before.**_ The same rags to clean the counter, the same pots of coffee grains, the same mugs with chips on the rim, the same clients ordering the same drinks... He was also glad that Pixis and his colleagues hadn't pushed on him on his whereabouts. They had asked him how he was and told him he could come to them if he needed help. If only he really could. The ache on the back of his neck was a constant reminder of his enslavement to the CCG.

"Eren, there's someone for you."

He perked up. His heart almost stopped when he met Petra's smiling face. Under her beige coat, she had abandoned her tailor suit and heels for an oversized sweater and plain jeans. Eren looked around him but no one seemed to notice she was an investigator. In their eyes, she was a customer like any other. His shoulders sagged with relief.

"I was passing by and I remembered you were working there."

"Yeah... Uhm, do you want anything?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you about the ghoul you and Levi have encountered."

Eren tensed. "Can we... talk about this after my shift? I finish in a minute."

She leaned over to share a conspiratorial smile. "Not a problem. I'll wait for you."

She walked out of the store, the doorbell ringing behind her. He sighed, turning back to the coffee machines and began putting whipped cream above an order. He startled when Connie elbowed him.

"Got a girlfriend, Eren?" He grinned.

Jean snorted, "How could he get a girlfriend with a face like his?"

"Nobody asked for your input, horseface. But she's just a friend."

"It always starts with 'just being friends'," Sasha chuckled as she twirled around the counter, balancing her tray with one hand. The liquid in the mugs sloshed back and forth. "Doesn't it, Jean?"

The main concerned turned crimson. "What are you talking about? What are you even implying?"

"Oh?" She smirked. "Do you want me to ask Mar—?"

"Shut it, potato girl!"

As if on cue, the last waiter of the 104th stepped inside. His oval countenance, flushed from the cold, was dotted with freckles. He unwrapped the scarf from around his neck, smiling.

"Hi everyone." Seeing their looks, Marco frowned in nervousness. "Did something happen?"

"Jean happened," Eren grumbled.

He put the can of whipped cream away and gave it to Sasha. She kept on laughing as she went away to serve the customers. Marco was searching for answers from Jean's scarlet cheeks to Connie's mischievous eyes. Eren rolled his eyes. It was a known fact by everyone in the 104th, even by some of the regular clients, that Jean fancied Marco. Yet it seemed that Marco was oblivious and responded to Jean's subtle flirting with replies full of innocence. Ah, Marco, the human gifted with an angel's benevolence.

"Hey, Eren, is it me or Jean is avoiding me?"

It surprised him that Marco had chosen to confess to him. He was the newest in the gang, but then again it assured him he wouldn't gossip to the others. Glancing over his shoulders, he saw Jean taking orders, scribbling down his pad. His cheeks were still tinted red. Eren selected his words carefully.

"I think that Jean is avoiding you, yes, but not because you've done something wrong. He just needs time to think over something."

"Ah, I understand. I wonder if it's about that ghoul we met." Seeing his frown, he explained, "We saw her late last night near Ward 2. She seemed to have quite a feast."

"Isn't Ward 2 Colossus' territory? From what I heard he rips the _kagune_ of trespassing ghouls."

"It's just a rumour. It's like the one about us, the 104th. Have you heard about it? They say we ambush humans in an alley and tear their limbs apart for fun."

"That's because of horseface. He looks ecstatic when he pins his victim down with his _bikaku_."

"Oi, Eren, you're stopping Marco from working," Keith Shadis cut in.

"Ah, sorry. I'll see you on Sunday, guys."

They waved back at him as he left. He didn't have to walk far, for a hand snaked its way around his arm and dragged him away from the main roads. He wasn't too surprised to see Levi and Hange waiting with arms folded in the back of the alley.

"Titan, my Titan, how are you? Oh, I've missed you so much."

"I would've been better if he wasn't there," Eren grumbled, earning a glare from Levi.

"Eren, do you know anything about the ghoul that attacked you?"

He eyed them cautiously. "It was a female. She was attacking Mikasa. Her _rinkaku_ —"

"Oh, a _rinkaku_! I love _rinkakus_!" Hange was brimming with excitement, bouncing on the ball of her toes. "Levi told me it was similar to yours in diameter."

Eren's breath hitched in his throat. He felt cornered by the Head of Research's manic grin and the Special Class Investigator's cold glare. If the ghoul didn't work at the 104th or threatened them, then he wouldn't get involved. Being a ghoul smelled of trouble and danger, and he didn't want to involve by ricochet Mikasa and Armin. He would never forgive himself if he did so.

"I don't want to be part of your investigation if there's any. I'm letting Hange do what she wants with me like I'm supposed to but that's it otherwise."

"It's not like you have a choice."

As if to prove its point, a glimpse of white caught his eyes. Petra was holding her suitcase. He cringed. It revolted him that their Quinques were made of a ghoul's _kagune_. Even when he had been entirely human, he had almost thrown up his breakfast when he'd learned about the truth. The ghouls could eat human flesh, but they didn't deserve such pain. He tore his eyes away, sneering.

"Yes, of course. The bad guy in the story is me."

"Eren, it's not what—"

"Ah, shut it," he snarled to Petra. "Don't make me laugh. You're just like them."

He didn't even have the time to blink before he was seized by the collar. His back collided against the wall as a fist as hard as iron shattered a few of his ribs. Then he was sent crashing on the ground, twisting his ankle in his fall. The world spun out of reach in a whirlwind of murky darkness. He grunted as he lay flat on his stomach, taking precious seconds to gasp for breath. But Levi wasn't done. He delivered a swift kick in his face before grabbing him by a fist of hair.

"Don't think for one second I can't kill you, ghoul."

Eren barked out a laughter as he taunted him, "Then why don't you do it?"

He had his answer when Petra's hand squeezed Levi's forearm. "Captain, please. It's enough."

The ice in his eyes thawed as he locked gazes with her, and then slammed him head first on the concrete. A crack followed by a muffled groan resounded in the alley.

"Oh, oh, oh," Hange clapped as she leaned over to observe Eren. "Maybe we'll see his super fast healing factor in action! I wonder if his regeneration's faster than the others..."

A cloud of smoke shrouded Eren's face to mend his broken nose. Hange swatted the smoke away, jumping on her feet. Levi wiped his hand on his shirt, thorough disgust distorting his features. Petra was speaking to him in a low voice, eyes darting back and forth her superior and the ghoul. Eren growled and his arms propped himself up like supple vines. He didn't even have the time to kneel before Hange lunged at him, her glasses glinting.

"Extraordinary! Look at that, Levi, look at that!" One finger drew the outline of his mending nose and he flinched away. "We have to see how fast you can regenerate."

"Hange, even if Eren heals fast he can still feel the pain," Petra pointed out.

The brunette's manic smile drooped. "Oh, yes. I didn't think of that. Such a shame."

Eren would've wrung her neck out with his bare hands if not of Levi's glower. He was adamant on showing to the investigator that the ghoul in him wasn't in control, to prove to him he was wrong. Killing his colleague wasn't the brightest course of action. Instead, Eren's fists clenched by his side and his nostrils flared with a frustrated sigh.

"Eren, CCG has been collecting data on simultaneous attacks for a while now. We don't need when it will be held or even if it will be held, but one of the possible leaders is called The Lady. The ghoul you encountered fit her description," Petra explained.

"We want to catch her." It came out as no surprise that Levi had cut it down to the core reason to why they were present. "You, your charming sister and I are the only ones who saw her and live to tell it. She's not a fool. She'll most likely attack in the next days to kill us. Erwin came out with a plan to use you as a bait. I must say I agree. If you have the misfortune to die, then I figured you could die usefully."

Yet Eren's mind had focused on the first part of his speech. "She'll attack Mikasa?"

"Let's make a deal. For a reason that baffles me, you seem to value your sister's life. Be the bait and I'll generously place some of my men to protect her 24/7."

 _I can't let them down. They're everything I have_. He stared at Levi's stoical eyes. _And you know it, bastard._

"Fine. How does it work?"

Hange whooped. "First, training with me. We don't want you running on a rampage and wrecking havoc, right? Then it's training with Levi and his squad. This operation's a tricky one so we have to make sure you're all gears fitting together and working as one, big killing machine."

Eren crossed Levi's eyes. "It doesn't please me but it's a requirement if we want to catch the ghoul."

 _And it's a price to pay if I want Mikasa safe_ , Eren inwardly completed.

"Tomorrow morning at my office, Eren," Hange chirped before trotting away. "See you all!"

She disappeared as she turned around the corner. Petra and Levi remained where they were, observing him. Eren nodded at the woman, deliberately ignoring the man, and left as well. He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep the cold from biting them. Even then, he was wearing a simple long-sleeved shirt, clean pants and his trainers whereas everyone was wrapped in their coat. He blamed the ghoul within him to mess with his internal temperature, for he felt nothing but an annoying breeze instead of a freezing gale.

"So it was true." Eren jolted. Mikasa was standing behind him, her expression undecipherable. "That despicable man wasn't lying when he said you wanted to join CCG."

"It's the right thing to do. I don't want others to suffer like we did."

A flash of fear passed through her dark orbs. "I know. Let the true investigators do their job."

It was easy to lie with a past as theirs. It was easy to muster the right emotions at the right time with a past as theirs. Almost second-nature. It was easy, mainly because he had already entertained the idea of joining the CCG's ranks when he used to be entirely human.

"Some of them don't know what to do when they face the real deal. They're clueless, but I'm not like them. I know what to do and how to do it because I've already been there."

"You almost lost your life back there. I can't lose you."

He felt compelled to reassure her when he saw the past rekindled in her eyes. He put his hands on her shoulders, telling her, "You're not going to lose me. I was a teen and I was reckless, but CCG is offering me an official training. They're offering me everything I lacked off when I was younger. If I killed a ghoul when I was a fifteen-year-old, ignorant boy, then I can do it as a seventeen-year-old skilful investigator."

"It takes time to become an investigator."

"Make it a twenty-one-year-old skilful investigator then."

He was certain he had convinced her when she replied, "Holding onto the past does no good. The ghoul who killed Carla is dead. _You_ killed her. Isn't that enough? It's over. Do you really want to spiral back in violence and revenge?"

He leaned closer to her. "Do you really want to see someone you hold dear hurt or even killed by a ghoul another time? I'm doing this to protect you. I'm doing this to protect myself because I wouldn't handle your loss, you and Armin."

He let go of her. Her head was hanging low, a curtain of black hair hiding her expression. It was the speech he had come up with two years ago to join CCG, but then his world had flipped around when he had fought against the ghoul. The battle in itself was a vague souvenir, but the days after the successful surgery and his so-called journey back to health were forever engraved in his mind. How could he forget the constant churning of his stomach, the enticing smell of flesh and the terrifying hunger tearing him asunder from the inside?

"Eren." Mikasa was staring at him with a fierce gaze he knew too well. "I promised your parents and myself I would protect you. I've made my decision. I'll join CCG with you."

It was in those moments Eren wanted to curse Mikasa's stubbornness and protective streak.

* * *

 **The chapter was already written before _Guest_ wrote me that comment, but uhm yes Marco will be in the story (hahaha such surprise after reading this story). I'm still not sure if this will be an Eren x Levi story, but I do know there is an implied Jean x Marco :) Unfortunately I cannot reveal if Marco will live through the entire story. Spoilers, sweetie. **

**Thank you for your comments minna-san :D**

 **Thank you for reviews, reading, favourites, follows!**


	8. Deceived

**VIII**

 ** _The heavy lines on his forehead showed it had been a bad day again._** Levi sat at his usual spot, his hands fiddling with the cravat around his neck. Petra knew he was itching to rip it off and to slump on his chair, but pride was holding him together. She glided across the room, sitting in front of him and handing him his usual cup of tea. It had become her routine, if CCG ever had a routine for its members, to make her his tea. Two minutes with the teabag inside, stirring clockwise four times and one minute to cool down.

"How's the chase after Colossus going?"

"Oruo is an obnoxious, little shit. We spent the day cornering him in the 9th Ward and we were about to get him when he had to bite his tongue and ruin our cover."

She smiled sympathetically. "You're going to get the ghoul another day, Captain."

Levi shook his head, grim. "We're losing people the more we wait."

"You're doing great, Captain."

He nodded, looking away, and then inquired in a mutter, "What about you?"

"Well, you know Eren passed by today and he's improving already. I must say he has has an impressive stamina. Last time, Hange ran tests on his transformation and it seems that if he bites his hand, his _kagune_ appears. Today we were working on his _kakugan_. He can't hide his eye forever. It's a little trickier, but if Eren gets angry or irritated, then he might lose control. Also, he—"

"When I ask you about yourself, I expect an answer along those lines," Levi interjected, a scowl marring his face. "I heard enough about the brat to hear you enthuse over him as well."

Petra stopped, her mouth still open, and then laughed. Her laughter filled the room, flooding it with warmth that could rival the sun's. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying in vain to stop her peals of giggles, as her superior's scowl deepened in incomprehension.

"What?" He bristled, his back straightening.

"If I knew better, I'd say you're feeling a little envious."

"Envious of the brat? As if."

She sobered, smiling sheepishly. "I know I've been talking about Eren a lot, but it's just that I have nothing to talk about except for him. You have to give his chance. We'll all work together after all."

"Don't remind me." He took a sip of his tea, shooting a withering look at the liquid as if he held it responsible for his misfortunes. "The sooner we get it done, the better."

"He's a nice guy when you talk to him. I said when you talk to him, not intimidate him."

"It's not my fault if he's so fucking impressionable."

"Captain, promise me you'll try to talk to him in a civilised way?"

He avoided her eyes, grumbling, "What does 'a civilised way' entails?"

"Just talking to him. Not scaring him away with your glaring or riling him up on his sister."

He mumbled something under his breath that she didn't quite catch. Instead of answering, he preferred drinking his tea at the slowest pace she'd ever witnessed. When the last drops were collected by a swipe of the tongue, he had no choice but to put his teacup away.

"I can't promise anything because his very kind appalls me but I can try."

It was already more than she could ask. She squeezed his hand, whispering, "Thank you." Then she released him, her cheeks warming. "Say, Captain, are you coming to the anniversary?"

He frowned, "What anniversary?"

"The two-year anniversary of CCG's foundation."

"Oh, that." His lips curled in disgust. "Too many people."

"But Hange and the whole Squad will be there."

He shook his head and looked away. If he hadn't been so prideful, he might have pouted like a child. Petra sighed, aware that once her superior had his mind set, his decision was nearly irreversible. Still, she wanted him to take a break and come to the anniversary. Levi was always tracking ghouls like a restless and starving hunter. In his perspective, the ghouls were predators he had to neutralise to ensure mankind's safety.

"I'm going," she told him. "I think I'll invite Eren."

"If you want him to get skewered by a dozen of Quinques, then it's a great plan."

"You know he has to meet the team eventually and I thought it'd be nice he does it in a friendly event instead of in training where everyone's so serious."

"It is a serious matter," he retorted, his eyes ablaze. "Tokyo is plagued by his kind."

She decided to let go of this argument, switching the topic, "Are you sure you won't come to the anniversary? It's just dinner. Erwin booked a penthouse and a small orchestra for the evening."

He perked up a little at Erwin's mention. "He'll be there?"

"Of course he will. He's the Head of CCG." She frowned, taking in his pensive eyes riveted to the floor as he was lost in his mind. "Is something wrong?"

Before he could answer, Hange barged inside the room, panting.

"Eren's chip went off."

He was on his feet before anyone could blink, storming out of the room. Petra and Hange followed suit, running after him. They were out of the building in a flash. Tokyo's sky was scribbled with charcoal clouds. The wind was picking up, causing Petra to shiver. Levi seemed unfazed even if he wore nothing but a white button-up shirt and a light jacket.

"Petra, you get the Squad. Hange, with me."

"But Captain, I—"

"I've got his back." Hange flashed her a reassuring smile before darting away.

Petra watched them disappearing with a pang. She knew he had chosen Hange because she could knew more than anyone about Eren's weaknesses, but it was a harsh blow to be pushed away in such a critical situation. She was convinced Eren trusted her more than Hange, that he would want her instead of Hange, but Levi... She took a deep breath as she spun on her heels. It would do no good to brood and beside, she had the utmost faith in him. The best way to help him was to get the Squad.

They were lounging in their quarters, which consisted of half of an entire floor. The Special Operation Squad was the best in CCG and its members, handpicked by Levi. She had been the last one to be added to the tightly knitted group, but she was confident she had carved her way inside. She barged inside the squad's office, her eyes narrowing as she took in the men already on their feet and checking their gear.

"Erwin told us about the one-eyed ghoul. Let me tell you, the boy's all but trouble," Oruo declared as he put his coat on with flourish, making it billow in his back. "He's—"

He didn't finish his sentence as he bit his tongue. He spluttered as a grimace contorted his features. Eld patted him in the back, his chestnut eyes devoid of their natural warmth.

"Apparently the boy was attacked."

"Attacked?" Petra grew tensed. "Which ward?"

"The second. Colossus might attack us as well," Gunther grumbled as he secured his cape around his neck. "Did Levi say anything?"

"No. Let's stick to defence this time."

She felt like her stomach was sinking. Even with her Squad, Levi's skills and Hange's expertise, her gut was twisting. The entire ride to the second ward was silent, only punctuated by the screeching of tires. Her hands were wrapped around the handles of her Quinque in its suitcase form, her knuckles growing white. Captain Levi will be alright. Eren will be alright. She looked out by the window, Tokyo rushing by in a blur of colourful, flickering lights. Pedestrians were crowding the streets, huddled together in groups of strangers. It made her uneasy to know some of them might be ghouls, disguised in their human skin. Yet what made her even more uneasy was that some of them might be ghouls yet retaining their human side just like Eren.

The van pulled on the side and the four of them burst out of the car. Petra shivered in her coat, narrowing her eyes at the ominous darkness creeping on the sky.

"Let's split. One takes the ground and the other, the roof," Eld suggested.

"Oruo and I will take the ground," Petra offered, grabbing the concerned man by the sleeve.

They took the emergency stairs on the side of a building. The metal was crusted with rust, creaking as they climbed up to the roof. There was no sign of investigators or any ghouls or even any sound of fighting. Beside her, Oruo was stiffening as well.

"There's no one here."

"There's something we're missing. Are you sure it was Ward 2? Who was your intel?"

"What are you talking about? Erwin told us."

"But who told Erwin?"

A scowl was forming on Oruo's forehead. "No one has to tell Erwin. He's of CCG and he's the one who planted the chip in the first place. He knows how it works."

Petra bit her lower lip, looking around. Her hair was swirling in her vision and she pushed her locks behind her ears. The wind was stronger in altitude.

"He knows, but what if someone else knows?"

Oruo opened his mouth to answer when a flash of light caught Petra's eyes. She opened her suitcase, the Quinque almost springing out. The whip uncoiled itself, the _kakuhou_ cells coursing through it crackling. She lashed out and sidestepped, the cord-like weapon curling around loose air as she missed her target. The thing hurtled towards them and would've collided in both if not for Oruo's reflexes kicking in. He pushed her away, taking the full blow by himself. She lost her footing on the slippery ground, her eyes widening.

"Oruo!" She screamed, scrambling to her feet.

She recognised it for having seen so many times in the reports piling up on Levi's desk. The Lady. The ghoul they had been hunting for, along with Colossus and the Armoured Ghoul. Her _rinkaku_ 's tentacles lunged at her and she dodged, clutching her whip tightly as she waited for an opening. Her heart leaped in her chest as she noticed Oruo wasn't moving. The ghoul was skilled, Petra had to give her that. She was dancing, her _rinkaku_ an extension of her body, twirling on her feet like a ballerina. Whenever Petra felt her faltering, her _rinkaku_ was shooting from behind her back.

One of the tentacles slit open her forearm, making her cry out. She staggered backwards, her whip slashing the air in front of her. The scarlet pupils were glowing against the dark sclera, its veins pulsing. They were the colour of invaluable rubies yet they were as cutting through her soul as diamonds. Petra let her weapon flick once again, the Quinque crackling as it hit the _rinkaku_ shielding the ghoul like a dome. The tentacles unfolded like a crimson flower blossoming in spring.

"You are Ral, aren't you? Petra?"

"And you're the Lady," she replied, on edge. She eyed Oruo, fear clawing at her heart.

The ghoul chuckled, caressing one of her _rinkaku_ 's bleeding tentacles. "The Lady? I am honoured."

"Who coordinated this trap? Was it you? Is it someone you know?"

"Oh, but Petra, I can't tell you. I would like to tell your Captain, though, or that interesting one-eyed ghoul. Perhaps you could lead me to them?"

She's toying with me. "If you really want to tell my Captain, then you can tell him in an investigation room. As First Class investigator of CCG, I arrest you."

The ghoul burst out in giggles, her _kagune_ jerking as if also shaking in laughter. "You're funny, Petra. Funny but naive."

Petra barely had the time to react, bringing her whip up. Yet the _rinkaku_ was too powerful, ramming into her like a train, and pushed her over the building's edge. She gritted her teeth as she felt herself toppling. Her Quinque was ripped from her hands then thrown away. The last thing she was the the ghoul's triumphant smile looming above her.

* * *

 **Is the plot thickening...?**

 **Thank you again for your reads, reviews, follows and favourites !**


	9. Found

**IX**

" _ **Look at that crappy weather outside.**_ The snow will turn into slush now," Jean grunted, peering through the windows to watch the curtain of rain obscuring the streets.

He walked back to the counter, emptying his tray from a few mugs. The last customers had left the 104th Squad, braving the storm on the brink of raging outside. He removed his black apron, throwing it over his shoulder with flourish. It fell directly on Marco's head, but Jean was already leaning on the counter, stifling a groan.

"I hate the last shift. We have to clean and wash the dishes and then go back when it's dark."

"Don't complain, Jean. I'm always the one cleaning and doing the dishes in the end. Besides, we're lucky we have a well-paid job in our state."

"You talking about us being ghouls?"

Marco nodded, his face falling. "What else would I be talking about?"

Jean looked up, frowning at seeing his crestfallen expression. After Eren, Marco was the newest addition. They had found him in the 8th Ward, shivering in the snow that had accumulated on his bony frame. He said them, but it was more him alone. He had been the only one present, the only one to graze his skin turned blue by the cold, the only one whose hand had been gripped before he could remove more of the snow. The only one who had been stabbed by these dark, lifeless eyes.

"Our state isn't an argument. Your _koukaku_ is awesome."

"My _koukaku_ , as you say it, shouldn't exist. I shouldn't—"

"Don't."

Jean had sprung on his feet, his hands wrapped around Marco's, uncaring that they were wet from water and soap. He stared at him intently, squeezing his hands when Marco's eyes dared to stray away from his gaze. Jean leaned even closer until their noses were mere inches away. His breath ghosted over the dark-haired man's countenance.

"Don't ever say that. Don't ever think that."

Jean fell silent, letting the words register. Oh, how he would love those words to sink in Marco's mind and stay there forever. Those precious words never stayed, swept away by the past and gnawed by the shame of being a ghoul. Self-conscious, Jean took a step back, but Marco held onto his hand, a dark blush creeping on his cheeks.

"Thank you, Jean. You're so kind."

"If you think I'm kind then you're out of this world," Jean chuckled but then sobered. "And what I said wasn't kindness. It was honesty."

Marco smiled, then avoided his eyes. "If you stay here then I'll make you do the dishes." Jean slipped away immediately, making him laugh. "I'm glad you're better."

"Better? I wasn't wrong to begin with."

"But, uhm, Eren told me you were avoiding me."

A vein twitched on Jean's forehead. "That idiot... Can't he mind his own business?"

"He didn't mean any wrong. He said you needed time to think. I was ready to give you space, but now that you look better, I'm glad we can think together now. Does that make sense?"

Jean nodded. Anything coming out of Marco's mouth made sense, somehow. He watched him washing the dishes, rubbing the coffee stains from the rims, scrubbing away strawberry jelly from plates and wiping them dry afterwards. While it could look like a mere task to some, to Jean it was mesmerising. Marco's forehead was creased with lines in concentration, almost pouting at the basin.

"Can I walk you home tonight?"

Marco looked up, surprised. "Why are you asking me? You do it even when I don't want you to."

"I have a bad feeling."

He smiled at him, "Don't worry about Colossus or Mademoiselle. I have your back."

Jean didn't know if he should be relieved or even more concerned. Marco was too selfless for his own good sometimes. It looked like he was born to spread happiness and he, Jean, was one of the many lucky receivers of his generosity. He had been the one to find him, on that faithful night, and hold him close. He had thought Marco had been lucky to be found before he could freeze to death, but as time progressed, the positions switched. Jean was the one infinitely lucky.

While Marco finished cleaning, Jean checked the employees' room and took their coats. When he came back the cafe, the mugs had been placed on the shelves and the basin, emptied. After one last eye sweep, the two of them turned off the lights and closed the 104th Squad. The rain had decreased to a drizzle sprinkling on their skin. Marco shivered in his coat, seeking warmth as he snaked his hands in his pockets. He burrowed his head in the back of his hood, his cheeks flushing as they were bitten by the crisp air.

"Do you want to eat with me tonight?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I already have something planned."

He tried not to frown. "Ah. Well, you can come by at my house anytime you like."

Marco beamed, nodding, but he didn't elaborate about this thing he had planned. Jean tried not to give in to curiosity, but it was like fighting gravity. Doubts were sprouting like unwanted dandelions in his mind. His imagination was reeling.

"Jean, there's a sushi shop opening in Ikebukuro next week. Do you want to come with me?"

He almost choked in his own spit. He had heard about it too, something about its name being quite original, but he had never thought Marco would invite him personally. Perhaps he was saying it only because he couldn't make it tonight, or perhaps — and this option was most likely than the other — it was Marco's goodwill speaking. In either way, Jean's blood was heating up at the prospect of being with him.

"Sure. That'd be awesome."

His voice was nonchalant, but he felt like a walking furnace about to explode. He might have imagined it, but Marco's blush was spreading up to the galaxy of freckles dotting his face.

"Great," Marco whispered. "Great."

Jean could've closed the distance separating them in a heartbeat if a scream hadn't ripped the atmosphere. Instead, both of them startled, their head snapping towards the direction of the sound. Without consultation yet in perfect synchronicity, they darted off, bracing themselves for the worst. Jean could feel his bikaku already unfurling at the base of his coccyx, the scorpion-like tail extending.

"Hold on," Marco shouted, "what if we scare him off with our _kagune_?"

"I'd say he'd prefer dealing with our _kagune_ than the _kagune_ of the one about to eat him."

The freckled man had no answer but to nod jerkily. They kept on running until they had strayed far from the principal arteries to alleys like the ones where Jean had found Marco. They didn't have to search for long, for another roar erupted on their right. Jean's reflexes kicked in as he caught a gigantic figure hurtling towards them. He threw himself on Marco as it collided on the building behind them, then collapsing on the ground with a heavy thud. He caught a glimpse of a viridian glow and did a double take. Eren was half buried under a pile of bricks falling from the building, his _rinkaku_ twitching. Marco disentangled himself from underneath him and rushed to him.

"Eren, oh goodness, Eren, can you hear me?"

The young man jolted when Marco's hand shook him lightly by the shoulders. His eyes opened, glazing over them, the specks of green clouding the blue of his irises. He pushed Marco away more out of instinct rather than in realisation of who was holding him.

"Get off me," he slurred, toppling back on the ground. "I can walk by myself..."

"Leave him," Jean grumbled as he pulled Marco away. "Not worth the pain."

His eyes caught a flash on the side, setting his senses afire. He brought his _bikaku_ up, meeting a modified _ukaku_ belonging to— Jean's eyes widened as their eyes locked. The eyes of the investigator nicknamed Humanity's Strongest, for he was the best mankind could offer as resistance against the ghouls. The eyes of the Ghoul Slayer. Jean startled as Levi attacked, the feathery crystals bombarding his _bikaku_. He winced as he felt them sinking in his _kagune_ , but he swung his tail back at the Dove.

"Marco, get that useless scumbag out of here," he yelled over his shoulder, his eyes never straying away from Levi.

He didn't hear his answer as something rammed on his side. White exploded beneath his closed eyelids, the pain shooting across his sternum. He felt himself flying across the air, then his back hit a flat surface. He was falling again. His limbs were growing cold. His _bikaku_ was shrivelling on itself, convulsing. Before he realised it, the world was coming to an end, stilling, freezing. The colours were muddled together and the shapes, bleary as he cracked his eyes open. A silhouette hovered above him, leaning down to embrace him in warm arms.

"Jean, Jean," someone was calling him.

He felt himself coming back to life, but his blood was oozing out from him. Marco's freckles stood in a stark contrast against his wan skin. The droplets caught in his eyelashes glimmered. The corners of his lips twitched up even if his life was drained from him.

"Oh, what have we here?"

The voice belonged to another Dove, a woman, this time, with sparkling eyes behind thick-framed glasses riveted on them. Behind her, he could see a blizzard of movements and a symphony of noises. Marco's arms, wrapped around him like a protective cocoon, were unyielding.

"We heard the scream. We wanted to help."

"Take that gangly guy back to CCG Headquarters. Ask for Erwin. Tell them Hange let you in."

"But what about...?" Marco motioned to Jean.

"Oh, a _bikaku_ user! How's fast his regeneration?"

It occurred in the back of his mind that he was a ghoul and that he had an healing factor thrice as fast as a human's. He could already feel his flesh mending, growing out and twisting as the veins threaded back together. The blood was rushing back to his lungs, to his heart, but also to his cheeks. The arms tugging him closer smelled of home.

"Pretty fast, miss. We'll leave as soon as he's on his feet."

"Oh, but we have a _rinkaku_ user here and he'd be a marvellous trump card."

"There's no way I'm sending him to fight. It's your battle, not ours."

The Dove, Hange, smiled. Jean shuddered as her teeth caught the light. She was human, fair enough, but her smile was unnerving. In the rain, and from the view he had as he laid on the ground, she was a giant. She put her hands on her hips, her grin broadening.

"I can arrest you two for being ghouls, but I'd rather not do that. You should do as I say, Mr...?"

"Jean," he croaked out his name, reluctantly pushing Marco's arms away. "My name's Jean."

"Jean," she repeated. "From your _bikaku_ here, you are the Scorpion."

He stilled. "I'm in your files?"

"Oh, but every ghoul we encounter is our files. I reckon you," she addressed to Marco, "are a _koukaku_ user. We always catch sight of the Scorpion with another ghoul, the Shredder."

Marco's hand snaked by his side, fingers intertwining with his. Jean squeezed it and if he could've, he would've hugged him tight against his chest. He remembered how he had leaned down and embraced him, the heavy layer of snow separating them prickling his skin. He had remained silent, yet his hand had never stopped rubbing soothing circles on his back. And slowly, ever so slowly, he had felt a pointy edge poking against his ribs. He hadn't dared to look down, but rather had whispered against the blueish ear how beautiful he was.

"Marco, we should listen to her. Eren can't do anything on his own, we know that."

Hange perked up, chirping, "Come on then, Scorpion."

He flashed a smile at Marco, indicating a groggy Eren with his head, before following the Dove. Levi was like a machine, his slashes precise and deep, yet the ghoul's regeneration was almost instantaneous. The ghoul was using two of her tentacles to counter the attacks and the other two on the offensive. If it had been any other investigator, he would've been overwhelmed, but Levi was holding his end. Jean gasped, recognising the ghoul he had seen with Marco, feasting in Ward 2, the other day. He avoided a tentacle by an inch, bringing his _bikaku_ up in defence. So the ghoul had noticed him as well.

"Scorpion," she spat, her eyes darting from him to Levi back and forth.

"Mademoiselle," he replied evenly. "Didn't think you'd fancy an evening walk."

"Didn't think you'd fancy one without your puppy."

Jean's fists clenched. Beside him, Levi was sprinting away, Hange taking his place. Jean had no doubts that the woman could fight, but he somehow trusted Levi more. Hange looked more reckless with the mad grin etched on her face.

"Well, well, well, who's the lady who misbehaved?"

"You're one to talk," the ghoul snorted. "And your friend's too late."

Hange's grin disappeared. Jean's blood froze. He felt like interfering in the matters of the CCG, which was something he did not like at all. He had heard about the ghoul in the 104th Squad; Pixis had nicknamed her Mademoiselle, which had stayed. She was ruthless, toying with her prey before killing her, and a formidable foe. He would've backed away if Hange hadn't slapped a hand between his shoulders blades, startling him.

"Let's make a deal, Scorpion. You help me kick her ass and I don't disclose anything to the CCG."

He remembered how he had sworn to Marco he would protect him. "Deal."

They turned to face the female ghoul, eyes narrowing. Two pair of eyes bore into another, one to avenge, one to protect and the last one, veiled with mystery, a smile peeking on her lips.

* * *

 **Marco, I love you.**

 **Thank you for reviewing, reading, favouriting and following :D**


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